You’ve heard the phrase before – “I’m a military brat!” Yes, that’s right, I’m an Air Force kid! And, what a fun and inspiring upbringing that was!  We lived all over the U.S., and spent time overseas. As a child, I lived in Germany, and got to see Holland, Spain, and many other parts of Europe. It was an exciting childhood introduction to cultures, food, and fun!

We returned to the U.S. and continued to travel until my father retired. I guess that’s what inspired my love of exploring, discovery, and diversity.

I’ve always loved fabric. I learned to sew very early on and began making my own clothes in 6th grade. All through high school, I would rush through my homework so I could sit down and draw…. paper doll clothes, wedding gowns, even wardrobes for Barbie! I eventually went to art school and became a clothing designer.

That industry offered more opportunities to travel, and I spent a lot of time in Asia. This was another wonderful experience in textures and color. However, after a 25+ year career advancing through the garment trade, watching it grow enormously and then shrink to outsourcing, I suddenly found myself downsized out. I tried a second career in the veterinary world, but after several years discovered it was not a good fit. I had abandoned my creative self, the very core of who I am, and felt lost.

I could not go back, and was unable to move forward in my current situation. Reinvention became necessary. My mother was a self-taught artist for most of her life. She finally decided to go to school and get her art degrees in her 60s. That was a valuable lesson for me….invest in yourself and stay true to who you are!

I know the pain of losing sight of your creative passion! Reigniting my creative spark at 59 was a journey but I quickly found that my fondness of color and texture never went away! But I had to ask, “What do I do with it NOW”? I revisited collage and mixed media art. Now, it is a thrill to get out of bed in the morning to mix paint, match paper, and see what I can create!

As part of this amazing journey, I felt a need to share, and created an online business built around helping others reignite their creative spark. I’m honored to share my art with you and help you discover your creative passion through my online training & coaching program, the “Creatively-U”® suite of programs.