About me

I love nothing more than to make other people smile and feel good about themselves! My classes inspire creativity while bringing friends together to laugh and connect in a fun environment.

For as long as I can remember I have been surrounded by art, as my Mother is an accomplished artist. My earliest memories include her painting, sculpting and playing music. I remember as a little girl pouring over one of my Mom's crafting books where I was exposed to the magical world of things such as origami, macrame and sewing. After leaving home my art took second place to career aspirations and initially I pursued the healthcare field, and became a radiographer. I then moved to South Asia where I spent 15 years in Nepal, Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka as a volunteer missionary. Living in these exotic places I found that the passion for creativity and art are at the heart of every culture. During my years overseas although my focus was not on art, I found myself returning to it again and again to unwind and relax. After returning to the US in 2017 I married my husband Eric who is an accomplished musician. With his encouragement I decided to focus exclusively on my art. I started a mural business, Walls by Elaine, and painted throughout the Portland area (www.wallsbyelaine.com). My favorite murals were the ones in which I got to interact closely with my clients and had the privilege of bringing their stories and vision to life through my painting. Although my mural business was successful and I enjoyed it, when we moved here to the desert earlier this year, I decided to consolidate my love for teaching and interacting with people with my love of art. My initial focus has been on dot mandala painting and the response has been incredible. I love to be able to lead people, even those who don't feel like they are artistic,  through the process of creating something of beauty that they are proud to give as a gift or love to display for others to see. In the words of the great Picaso, "Every child is an artist, the challenge is how to remain one once we grow up".