Artist/Mompreneur

"Each of us has been given a passion and unique set of gifts and I intend to use mine."

I was one of those kids who could always be found surrounded by countless sheets of drawings, with pencil lead smeared on my hands, paint on my clothes, and mounds of creations I never wanted to get rid of (no matter what). Art class in school was my favorite! Whatever came to mind I created; Crafting, drawing, painting, basically anything that allowed me to be creative. My mom was a big influence on my creativity. She was always creating some amazing craft and of course I wanted to help. Then she taught me to sew and I created a whole bunch of fun things - It was all so exciting to me! My parents always encouraged me to pursue various art programs and get involved in art fairs and classes.

Throughout my school years I continued to learn and grow by getting involved in activities that allowed me to be creative. I began my college years taking some basic art classes while dabbling in Graphic Design. Ultimately, I transferred schools, switched majors, and graduated with a degree in Apparel Design from the University of Wisconsin - Stout. My first job in that industry taught me so much and gave me confidence in the skills that I had learned. Soon after, we welcomed our first child and my priorities shifted.

It was then that owning my own creative business really became my #1 goal.

My Story

In late 2008 I first opened a shop on Etsy creating kids' aprons, a few random original paintings, handmade cards, and various crafts. By 2011 I discovered a niche creating hand-lettered burlap signs. I continued to grow that small business in between naptimes, playdates, and while my kids played. Building my creative business and creating was my "Me-Time"- a way to feed my soul aside from the hustle of motherhood. My own passion (my dream) was to be home with my kids while still contributing financially. This drove me to continue to create, learn, and grow.  

Then by 2019 I felt a pull to get back to my artistic roots. With a supportive family behind me, I decided to move away from signs and Etsy and focus on my passion for Acrylic Painting. I really enjoy landscapes and florals.

By the end of the year I had my own website and I decided to paint my dog, Hazel, for her first Christmas ornament. It was during that holiday season that I decided to offered pet portrait ornaments to friends and family and the rest is history! 

It all started with a Christmas Ornament

From that small ornament I discovered that I really LOVE to paint pet portraits in a visually realistic way! My perfectionism sometimes takes over and I can't help but capture all of the little details, the shadows and highlights. I love art that is highly detailed and realistic - thats just how my brain works. Over the past 4+ years I have learned and grown from painting small ornaments to scaling up to as big as 16x20 inch canvases. It was through painting Pet Portraits that also led me to a Contract Pet Portrait artist side gig as well. I'm always on the look out for new ways to offer and new product options for Pet Portraits.

Along with my faith, art feeds my soul and continues to teach me many things about myself. I truly believe that each one of us has been given unique talents with passions to follow, and I hope to encourage others to follow their hearts and believe in their abilities.

I'm so excited to see where my business will go next!