I grew up with a fierce love of horses. I read every book I could get my hands on that had a horse in it and I drew horses non-stop. Back then, if you had asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would have told you an equestrian veterinarian. However, being a dairy farmer’s daughter, we had little time for “hay burners.” So, I poured my love for animals into our registered Holsteins and enjoyed showing cattle at the Wisconsin State Fair.

In high school, I dreamed of going into fashion design – and I still have a lot of my drawings. Through 4-H, I sewed all my prom dresses, modeled them, and grew in my love for fashion. However, I never took a single art class in high school, as I chose to focus on more “college prep” classes – like accounting and AP English. I had my sights on college – and majoring in Marketing seemed like a sensible career choice where my creative side could also be utilized.

My Liberal Arts college had a unique take on their “gen-eds,” as I was required to take one art class. I took a drawing class – and I thoroughly enjoyed myself in the challenge. Then, in my senior year of college, I decided to take a photography class for fun – and I LOVED it! Since college, I dabbled in doing semi-professional photography (mainly for friends and family). Creating is just a part of me.  

As I have tapped into my creative writing side, my artistic side has blossomed! I have enjoyed designing a few of the elements of this “fantasy world” I have created.