I was born into a very creative family that can solve just about any problem that comes along. I remember telling my 6th grade teacher that I wanted to grow up and be a high school art teacher (just like dear ol' dad, still going strong at Northside High School). Not many kids set their life course at age eleven I would guess...but I certainly did.
After graduating from Northside High School I went on to Southwest Missouri State where I earned my Bachelors in Fine Arts with an emphasis in Painting and Drawing and a wild card minor in Spanish. From there I worked as a free lance artist in the southwest Missouri area before God set forth some truly miraculous circumstances that led me into a teaching position at my favorite high school in Springfield, Central High School. ahhhh....dear Central, and my beloved students.... those were lovely days.
I taught at Central for five years during which I earned my teaching certification and Masters in Teaching degree from Drury University. I "retired" from the classroom in 2008 shortly after my daughter was born and have stayed home with her (and now her little brother) ever since.
In 2009 we moved our family back to Fort Smith. I was asked by friends to do art classes for their children. With the support of my husband and family we began the excitement of the Park Hill School of Art and we have had some fabulous art making and fun times in the past few years.
Never one to sit still, in 2012 my friend and I embarked on a new art adventure inside Brick City Emporium where we opened a little store, the Jolly Good Art Shop . Here and Etsy we sell our original paintings, hand printed pillows, notecards, photos, jewelry, and miscellany.
I love the desire to "create" that God has placed in each of us. Not only do we want to make things but we want to make them amazing and colorful and exciting and emotive....the way I think God approaches his own creation. I think it's a beautiful example of being created in his image. I stand in awe of the Master Artist and His supreme work of art that I get to observe with every breath. Oh the joy of "arting"! :)
