I fell in love with art when I was around 8 years old. I had been watching my teenage sister draw and paint for a while and decided to try to draw myself. I said a prayer asking God to please make me an artist like my sister. I then found a picture in a magazine of a little girl surrounded by butterflies. I picked up my sisters sketch pencils and sketch pad and got lost in the lines, highlights, and shadows. When I finished I was shocked. My parents thought it was my sister's art. I was hooked! I thanked God for his gift and promised to use it for the rest of my life. I spent my elementary years teaching myself to draw then paint. When I finally got to high school I was able to take art. After high school, I painted for a local wood worker for extra money to help support myself and my son. I studied studio art at Southern Arkansas University with a masters degree in gifted and talented education. For twenty-five years, I have taught art in Arkansas and Louisiana. My teaching philosophy is that art is meant to be a method of expression and even therapy. It is the process rather than the product. Throughout my teaching career, I continued to paint as a side hustle. 2022 brought health issues that has led me to early retirement from teaching, leaving me with time to now focus on creating art. My goal as an artist is to serve my God that gave me this talent. He is love. His love shows in us: in our eyes, our smiles, and our actions. He is the Master Artist and our entire universe is His masterpiece. I enjoy exploring color, lines, and movement while painting on non traditional and organic surfaces that He created. When I meet Him, I want Him to say to me, "Well done my faithful child. You kept your 8 year old promise to me."