I planned to become a professional artist in high school while doing Post Secondary Enrollment Option (PSEO) at Bethel University, but then quickly decided against it.

I’ve always loved art and loved to create it, but it wasn’t until more recently I decided to take it professionally. My academic and career interests changed several times away from art, but my talent and desire kept resurfacing. Originally I thought creating art just wasn’t a realistic option for me. Part of that thought process was me convincing myself that I wasn’t good enough and comparing myself to others’ talents and art styles and seeing them as far more skilled than I was. However, I did not recognize that comparing skill through styles was hardly accurate at all…

The very first drawing I did for a senior living community when I was an Activities Assistant

After college I went to work in senior living communities, then a veterinary clinic, and just finished the school year as a paraprofessional at a charter school. Now I’m a stay-at-home-mom and professional artist.

I chose to go further with my art because of a few different things. I can’t get enough of the smiles on people’s faces when they see the finished product. I’ve gotten to see this in all the places I’ve worked and then some. My sister and brother-in-law were my first clients for two commissions pieces.

It brings me immense joy to hear that my sister still points out these two paintings when new people go to their house.

Most recently the first graders I worked with in school found out I could draw after a couple asked for help with writing their names in bubble letters. The interest caught like wildfire and soon most of the class would ask me daily to draw something quick for them.

This was one of the last drawings I did before the end of the school year. The boy asked me, “Can you draw me a rhino?”… I told him I’d try (I’d never drawn a rhino before). The horn is a little crooked, but it was fun to see his reaction and how much he liked it.

I have to give credit to my family, these kiddos (and all the QUICK practice they gave me almost daily), and my husband especially for encouraging me to grow my art and do more with it. Caleb has also reminded me that God has given me this talent and it’s not to be wasted (Matthew 25).