2. Q&A: Have you always wanted to be an artist, even when you were a child?

Little Jenny 1981, chocolate in hand

A: I have wanted to be an artist for as long as I can remember, even when I was a child.  Of course, I also wanted to be many other things ranging from the President of the United States to a firefighter, mechanic, carpenter, architect etc.!

My aspirations to be so many different things were never belittled by my parents, who supported my creativity in every way they could, including by supporting my choice to be an Illustration major in college and to pursue my goals of becoming a published artist.  Of course, my first published cover illustration was in 2005, but that didn't mean that I had "achieved my goals," or that I was ready to put down my paintbrush.

I believe being an artist and an illustrator is about crafting a life that centers around and supports the continued development of my process and my ability to communicate through art.  Making art was always a constant in my life.  I always knew I was going to grow up to do something artistic, I just didn't always know exactly what. I am still exploring my artistic side in different ways today, from my creative "hobbies," like playing guitar and song writing,  to being a creative problem solver in my day to day interactions with friends, family, and others.