The Story Behind the Artist
My first art set consisted of a sketch book and a Number 2 pencil. I drew pictures of stuffed animals belonging to my sisters and me, the Tennessee mountains as we traveled through on family vacations, and my friends. I also copied pictures from magazines.... I still have that sketch book.
In high school I continued to draw a little, but photography became much more important to me. A dear friend gave me my first “grown up" camera, a Pentax ME Super. I read the manual from cover to cover and took hundreds of photos, keeping track of settings in a spiral notebook so that when the film was developed, I could see the impact they made on the shots.... I still have that camera.
Several teachers greatly influenced my life, most of them English teachers, so I went to college to prepare to join their ranks. In 1992 I graduated with a BA in English and began teaching right away. In 1994 I married a handsome sailor, and by 2001 we had three precious children. I loved teaching—pouring my life into the lives of my students—but there wasn’t enough of me to go around, so in 2006 I left the traditional school setting to teach my own children at home.
Meanwhile, a friend of mine offered art classes to the homeschoolers at our church. My children all signed up, and my friend let me audit the class as well. She introduced us to drawing in 2-point perspective, charcoal, pen and ink, 2D and 3D wire sculpture, clay sculpture, color pencil, acrylic, and watercolor. My fascination with art was reawakened. I was drawing again, and painting now too. And I learned that color pencils are not just for children!
That same year our church hosted its first craft fair to raise funds for teen mission trips, and my teacher/friend and I rented a table together to sell her paintings and my photographs. I made a small profit, but more importantly, I made a big impression on many friends who encouraged me to continue learning and developing in the area of art.
About that same time, I acquired the piano mentioned in "The Story Behind the Art," and my niche began to make itself known. Making art from pianos is something that very few people do, yet I’m finding that there is a huge market for it. Musicians and music lovers alike have been thrilled to find artwork made from the instrument that shaped a part of their world, especially since it helps to keep some pianos from taking up precious space in our landfills. So while I will continue to draw, piano art has become my main focus. This is my niche.
For four years I sold my art at craft fairs, and slowly a vision grew within me of doing this full-time. At the time, I was spread pretty thin, with my time and attention divided among several responsibilities and ambitions. But I had a burning desire to paint and make piano art, so I took steps toward that end. All my plans and dreams came to a screeching halt, it seemed, when in August 2016 my husband received a job transfer.
After 35 years in Virginia, we were moving 900 miles away to a place where we knew almost no one. I was sad to leave my dear friends and church family, but happy for the chance to make a clean break from my other endeavors so I could focus more fully on art. The first few months were dedicated to settling in so the feeling of transition would not hang around indefinitely, and then I got busy with my dream. This website was the first step. I know God gave me the ability to draw, paint, and create things; and in gratitude I give it all back to Him. In spite of many obstacles and setbacks.... I still have that vision!
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