I have wanted to be a teacher since I was very small (ever since I realized that becoming Beatrix Potter wasn't exactly how growing up worked). I studied Illustration and Art Education at the Maryland Institute College of Art, and I heard over and over from the teachers I studied with that they wish they made more art, or that the only art they did make were the demonstrations in class for their students. I quickly made it a personal mission to become a teacher that walked the walk as well as I talked the talk, and started a daily art-making project in 2007. I have made a small piece of art everyday since, and it helps me to share with my students the importance of practice, and prioritizing the things you love. My shop sprung out of another important philosophy about art, which is that art is for everyone, and should be given and received openly and often, rather than something seen exclusively in lofty galleries and museums with security guards keeping you from getting too close. I make everyday things for everyone, to make each day just a little more artful.