Hello! Thank you so much for stopping by! Here is a little snippet of how I became a teaching artist and find myself emerced in color & texture – paint & papers galore within the walls of my dreams …. my studio. Welcome, and I hope to share the table with you soon!
Art has a been a passion for most of my life … a creative soul at heart. I began drawing in kindergarten with the beloved Snoppy as my first masterpiece. Throughout my childhood, if I was not reading a book, I was doodling, sketching and painting. Once grown up and graduated, I had wished to pursue an education from the Art Institute, but it was not supported at the time. So, I chose my next interest … law. I obtained my degree in Paralegal Studies, but fit in a class here and there to keep my creative mind happy.
After working in the legal field as a legal assistant/paralegal for approximately 10 years, I resigned when I had my son to be a stay-at-home mom. I very much enjoyed my career in law, but wanted to be able to focus on my family without the juggling of long day commutes into the city.
It was after I resigned that I found my artistic self again and started a blog and an Etsy store, which began my studio business. I created commissioned Home Portraits & Family Trees for customers all over the country.
At the same time, I created a summer reading & art group for girls that ran for 5 years. Within this group, we covered six books, six art projects and one collective community project. Our last summer, the girls wrote & illustrated short stories that we worked to publish and sell for Make-A-Wish Foundation.
It is through this effort that I met Marce Urbanski, who was owner of The Canvas in Freeport. She hosted a book event for the girls, and she and I became fast friends. She invited me to join the ranks of the local artists, and I offered to assist with the shop. I introduced workshops at The Canvas 7 years ago, of which Marce was a light of encouragement. Through the years, Marce’s pages turned and new chapters gave way to less time for art, and The Canvas became a Co-Op. A couple years ago, she decided to leave The Canvas; wherein, I took helm, gave the studio a redo and changed the name to The Canvas, Artfully Yours. The location now serves as a teaching studio, with our potters’ workshop below. Pottery is available for purchase any time that the studio is open.
I cannot tell you how very blessed I feel for God placing me on this path. Each person who walks in to create with me is an artist in their own right … whether they realize it or not! My goal is to lift each heart that sits at my table with confidence in themselves and a renewed vision to seek the positive in life.
This is what art is to me.
jlcstudios.art 