Hi, I'm Mitzi and welcome to journey though art and life. Let me tell you a bit about myself I serve as pastor to a wonderful church, I have been married to my amazing husband for twenty years, and I am mom to a teenager. My love of art started as soon as I could draw but my true passion to pursue art came in the fourth grade. I had one of those teachers that just makes a difference, I have a learning disability but in my art class it did not matter. I remember to this day one assignment to draw a picture like starry night by Van Gogh using pastels, something about the feel of the pastels, the smell, the color, and the way what was in my head came out on paper I needed more. By collage I was excited to pressure art as a career, but my first art course I had a professor who tore us down as artist and never built anything back. I left the course with a good grade but no desire to show my art. This teacher had actually mocked my work in front of everyone, worse I had allowed it to get to me. I continued to create in secret, my husband finally convinced me to join an art website after many years, I reached out to an art coach at that time to try and get started and after dealing with her I promptly quite showing my art once again. But people would see it in my home and ask about it, I even sold paintings off the wall, then my daughter asked why I didn't sell my work. I had no good answer so I went to my husband who helped me get started selling once again. This time was different I was older, wiser, I cared less what others thought, but more than that I wanted my daughter to see what's possible, I spent years hiding my dream because of others no more, I was going to pursue my art career. In the mean time I had gone to school for computers, worked for a while, sold make up, had my daughter, worked some more, and then it happened, I got sick. Well I had always been sick but I had pushed through ignored it and gone on, but I could no longer do that and I found myself with a young daughter, husband and disabled, I would go on to be diagnosed with 3 disabling and life long conditions. Conditions I battle with to this day as someone with a disability and who often uses a wheelchair I want my daughter to see it is still possible to pursue your dreams. So I started over a little over a year ago perusing my art and passion once again. I feel blessed to be both a pastor and an artist helping people through what I do. My passion is helping people and I find my art has given me the chance to do that in way I never imagined. I have painted portraits, wedding gifts, special places, and more. I give memories a voice, and ideas form. I create happy walls that inspire, desk top art that takes you away at lest for a moment, and fun art that just makes you feel good. It is the connection wit art that makes it special when it speaks to you. I sold a painting some time ago to a lovely lady who suffered from a sever illness, one of the greatest complements I have received was when she called to tell me she kept the painting near her and when things get bad she uses my art to help her focus and get though the episode. I have also found a love of teaching and sharing art tips with other artist especially those who are also disabled. I am currently working on a Youtube channel, and book for artists with disabilities, and I hope one day to open a local studio and be able to give local disabled artist a place to come and create.
