My life story (so far) in a nutshell…
I was born in Midland, Texas. Crazy story, actually. I was delivered by a doctor, who had only one hand, after bursting a major vein inside my mom because I was so ready to come out. All back-up was called, 300 internal stitches, and 4 units of blood. It was the late 80’s so she had to be tested for AIDS for 10 years afterwards. My sister always tells me that she wasn’t surprised I had to make such a dramatic entrance into the world. (She secretly loves me.)
Fast forward to growing up in Amarillo and being a little girl in love with art. I would come home every day from school and go straight to the kitchen table to draw or paint. Art was, and still is, my happy place. I also loved to sing and dance. I would belt My Heart Will Go on or Don’t Rain on My Parade at the top of my lungs for hours (my sister also has some comments about that) or dance my heart out to some Spice Girls. My parents encouraged me to get involved in our local community theatre. As a kid, I had become quite shy, but soon realized that on stage, I could be someone else. I could be bold. I could be someone with all the confidence in the world. I performed in multiple productions at Amarillo Little Theatre, was a principal role one beautiful summer in TEXAS at Palo Duro Canyon, and after graduating high school early, performed on stage and in film/TV in Austin, Dallas, and Los Angeles for a few years.
My whole world changed in 2010 when my dad passed away. I moved back to Austin from L.A. and tried to find my bearings, again. I knew I wasn’t happy with an acting career. It just didn’t fill my soul like it did when performing at my hometown theatre. I would still, from time to time, get out a journal or sketch pad and draw. I never thought of it as a career path though. It was simply my way of thinking through my thoughts. I decided to move back to Amarillo and go back to school. My mom and sister were educators in the school district, and because I loved working with kids, I decided to go to WTAMU to get my degree in Elementary Education.
I taught in public school for only a few years before I realized what a need there was for art education in our district. I saw so many kids like me who needed an outlet to express their thoughts and process their emotions. Kids that struggled academically but had incredible artistic talent with no where to craft it. I decided I was going to become certified to be an art teacher for kindergarten through 12th grade. After that, I helped to start an art program that focuses on social and emotional learning at one of the public schools in town. I ultimately chose to leave teaching in public school to become a private art teacher and to open my business as an artist.
So, long story short (somewhat), that’s where we are now. I’ve traded the kitchen table for an upstairs studio in our house where I live with my loving and supportive husband, David, and our two dogs, Corki and Goldie. I still perform locally at Amarillo Little Theatre and belt out and dance to some Babs or Sara Bareilles as I paint. Somehow, I have found my way back to where I started.
I read once that whatever your very first dream job was as a child is who you are meant to be. Do you remember it? I believe that’s your happy place. Your purpose. It might look a little different now, but do whatever you can to find your way back to it.
“…if I ever go looking for my heart’s desire, again…I shouldn’t look any further than my own backyard.”
- Dorothy, The Wizard of Oz
