When asked why she paints on gessoed board, Verna Marie replied, "Because I prefer a surface that is solid and doesn’t give."

Although she drew as a child, she also enjoyed drafting and considered becoming an architect. As things don’t always go as planned, she instead ended up moving from New Mexico, where she had been raised in the towns of Roswell and Santa Fe, to California. It was there that she married, went into the drafting field, and finally met the man who was to become her teacher, the late Fredrik Grue. From that moment on, her path was set on what she would do with her art. That direction had been missing in her life.

She see’s so much beauty around her that she wants to capture, it is hard to choose where to start. She is never at a loss for something to paint, and will sometime have two or three paintings going at one time. She mainly works in still life and flowers but finally started to paint landscapes. Clouds remain one of her favorite subjects. She loves them all, sunsets, sunrises or just big storm clouds.

She really likes very strong contrasts, deep shadows and strong lights. Pale shadows and busy backgrounds in still life do nothing for her. She wants a little mystery as to what is in the shadow, be it still life or landscape, so the viewer can put in what they feel. Being able to make people feel good when they view her work is one of the driving forces behind her desire to capture the beauty she see's everywhere.

Besides the influence of Fredrik Grue and many of the old masters, she loves Edgar Payne’s work and could list many more from the Californian Art Club. She has taken many awards in varied juried shows in Southern California, New Mexico and Kansas, including Best of Show.

She is a member of the California Art Club, Oil Painters of America, National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society and the Greater Kansas City Art Association.