How I Stumbled Into Becoming and Artist
Are You a Self-Taught Artist?
I have no formal training as an artist. In fact, I didn't even start making my own art until I was almost 40.
Sure, I had little side projects here and there over the years, but I did not start keeping a sketchbook or making art regularly until I was 39. My path to getting here was anything but linear.
From Biology to the Classroom
I used to teach high school science. My background is actually in biology(I hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology/Zoology) and originally, I wanted to work with animals. After a series of random jobs, including working in a zoo's education department and doing wild bird rehabilitation, I realized I needed to find something a bit more stable that paid a little better (Isn't it ironic that I thought teaching paid so much more and Florida teachers are among the worst paid educators in the nation?!).
Working in wildlife rehab was an incredible experience, but it doesn't exactly pay the bills. To make ends meet, I was working as a barista on evenings and weekends. (And when you work in animal rehab, you don’t have normal weekends anyway—you get two random weekdays off!) I was only 22, but I was exhausted, and my dog was literally chewing on my walls from being left home alone so much.
Looking for a change, I found a Transition to Teaching cohort through St. Petersburg College and started taking education classes to earn my teaching certificate. After just a single summer of classes, I was hired as a Biology teacher at a Pinellas County high school!
I kept taking my classes while navigating my first year of teaching. Thankfully, I had some amazing coworkers who helped me out, because at that point, I was still completely clueless about lesson planning. I ended up teaching high school science for eight years, eventually adding AP Environmental Science to my roster.
The Ultimate Pivot: Three Under Two
Then, life shifted again. I got married, got pregnant, and had my first son. He was born in December, and by the time August rolled around, I realized I wasn’t ready to go back to work yet. My husband and I agreed I would stay home to raise him for a couple of years.
But a little over a year later, I was pregnant again, and this time with twins!
With three kids aged two and under, returning to a traditional classroom wasn't happening anytime soon. My parental leave extended, and I picked up odd jobs here and there, like working at a cafe and assisting an English professor at USF.
When my twins turned two, I met the owner of the Wonder Studio and started teaching classes there once a week. It’s a magical place where kids play alongside their caregivers. We set up hands-on experiences rooted in art and science for children as young as 18 months to explore—painting, collage, water tables, sensory bins, slime, play-doh, and clay! It’s the perfect place for kids to get messy outside of the home, especially for parents who get the heebie-jeebies from a mess in their own living room. (I still love teaching classes there in the summers!)
Learning to Teach Art—and Finding My Own
After a few years at the Wonder Studio, I was ready for more work. My oldest was entering first grade and my twins were starting pre-school (VPK here in Florida). I wanted to go back to work, but only part-time.
While part-time teaching jobs are rare, some smaller private schools need part-time art teachers. I applied for a few positions and ended up being hired by a small private school that needed someone three days a week.
Did I actually know how to teach art? Nope. But I knew how to teach.
I dove into research on different art curriculums, initially thinking I’d just buy a ready-made one. During my search, I stumbled across choice-based art education and Teaching for Artistic Behavior (TAB). It perfectly aligned with my philosophy of letting kids explore and play before demanding serious work. I started teaching art in August 2021, and the following year, I moved to a different school where I still teach three days a week today.
Because I was teaching art, I felt like I should probably take some drawing lessons myself so I could offer better advice to my budding artists. I found some introductory drawing courses on Skillshare, and everything changed.
Falling in Love with the Process
Once I started drawing, I never stopped. I began keeping a regular sketchbook, taking more online classes, and following inspiring artists on Instagram. I started participating in Artist Trading Card exchanges with other creators online.
Eventually, I took Mindful Drawing classes with Amy Maricle and joined the free online Creativity Jumpstart classes led by Jennifer Wilken Penick. Through Jennifer’s low-stakes, playful classes, I absolutely fell in love with collage.
My first collages were not good. But it didn’t matter. I was just having fun learning, trying new things, and playing around.
After filling lots of sketchbooks and creating countless random collages, I finally started to find my style. I began joining local collage artists for occasional meetups—which wasn't easy to balance as a teacher and a mom of three! I joined international creators for the annual Februllage challenge. Before I knew it, I had accumulated a massive mountain of artwork.
I started following the local art scene here in St. Pete and decided to submit my work to local open calls. I was astounded when I started getting accepted! Still, I didn't sell anything for a long time.
Eventually, I applied to some local maker markets, bought a tent and a table, and set up a booth. My first market was a total bust—I didn't sell a single thing. But I dusted myself off and tried again the next month. That time, I sold a couple of small pieces. I still vividly remember my very first customer. He was actually another local collage artist; he bought one of my pieces, framed it, and hung it on his wall at home.
Embracing the Experiment
To this day, it’s a massive learning experience. I still frequently feel like I have no idea what I’m doing.
But honestly, I feel the same way about parenting. Do any of us ever really feel like we know exactly what we’re doing? Or do we just keep experimenting our way through life, figuring things out as we go through a whole lot of trial and error?
I definitely fall into the latter camp. I used to think I’d have it all completely figured out by the time I hit 42. I don’t.
And you know what? Oh well.