“If you could say it in words, there would be no reason to paint.”

I am married to a professional artist. It has been amazing to see her progression over the last 10 years.. As you may know from How I met your Mother, we met while we were in college. At that time, she was a neophyte artist – taking elective art classes as her time permitted.  Although she ended up majoring in Business Management Information Systems, she was able to squeeze in a Fine Art minor.

When my wife entered grad school at Fordham University, she was able to continue her studies at the Art Students League of New York City . The Art Students League of New York has historically been known for its broad appeal to both amateurs and professional artists and has maintained, for over 130 years, a tradition of offering reasonably priced classes on a flexible schedule to accommodate students from all walks of life. By the time she completed her Masters in Social Work a few years later, her art skills had increased tenfold.

Her  “hobby” has now turned into a successful business. She paints home portraits, pet portraits, with custom art pieces for sale on her website. Last week, she even won the “People’s Choice” award at the Marietta (Georgia)First Friday Art Walk . (Her winning painting is at the top of this post.) The First Friday Art Walk is a free self-guided tour of the historic Marietta Square’s eclectic art scene. Galleries, museums, cultural venues, restaurants and boutiques host artists within their businesses from 5pm to 9pm on the first Friday of every month in the spring through fall. Many major cities throughout the US participate in the First Friday Ark Walk and it has proven to be a great way for artists to gain national  exposure.

We’ve converted our guest bedroom into her art studio. The sea blue walls offer a comforting and relaxing backdrop to perform her magic. After pulling an 8+ hour work day at her full time job (she works in Project Management), she’ll spend quality time with our girls until they go down to bed. When the kids are down and home is finally quiet, she’ll often find her artistic groove. When she gets into the zone, she’ll easily paint through the night. I find it a little troubling that there are many nights where she’ll sleep less than two hours, but after a night of painting, she wakes up refreshed and balanced. In a day full of distractions, painting at night allows her think, reflect, and create on her own terms.

Although I wasn’t really thrilled about it initially (why are you giving away our money!?), she donates a part of EVERY sale to the Humane Society of Cobb County. This is one of the many reasons I admire her constant altruism as a artist, friend, wife, and mother.

To visit her incredible site and to place an order, you can visit www.lovereenmoore.com

Did you know?

Art has surpassed the stock market in appreciation over the past twenty years.