About Jenny

I grew up in a Navy family and never knew when I would be moving. So, it meant I was always the new kid on the block...which usually brought on a number of different challenges.

What kept me going was my imagination and love for drawing, painting and creating. I loved to draw and would fill pads and pads of paper with very inventive pictures!

When possible my mother would enroll me in art related classes…so I took oil painting, sculpting, macramé, ballet and drama. My mother (who was a seamstress herself) also taught me to sew...and so I fell in love with sewing and designing...making everything from pillows to the re-creating of an existing dress!

When my family was stationed in San Diego, CA I became a part of the Balboa Children’s Puppet Theatre Group and was in various productions…one of my favorites being, “Witch’s Candy”. Then later, when we were stationed in Hawaii, I took Hawaiian dance and participated in shows…and also taught it to the neighborhood kids for 75 cents a lesson!

After high school in 1976, I moved from Colorado back to my birthplace of Minnesota and went on to begin my work with young children as my heart for kids grew. I often felt lost growing up moving so much, so helping children deal with various feelings and situations in their lives just seemed natural. This lead me to a life and career in education...where I often times worked with very young children...but then at other times was enriched with experiences involving upper elementary and their families.

In addition, I attended a fine art school in Minneapolis. During this time, I also became interested in Clowning and went through clowning instruction with a troupe that was just forming called the "Agape Clowns"...then traveled with them doing shows throughout the upper Midwest.

In 1984, I moved to California to be near family, and attended Palomar College the following year. There I received my Certification in ECE, graduating with a 4.0, along with an award for the most outstanding student.

Needless to say, it was quite natural for for me to incorporate my love for art and creativity into my love of teaching. So, during my over 35 years of working with children and families, I developed a curriculum that incorporates many learning activities with art and creative expression.

Work Experiences (35+ yrs) ~

*Teaching, Directing & Working with Infants through Kindergarten
*Private Home-School Instructor ~ 12 yr old/Special Needs
*Curriculum Author ~ for children 3 yrs old to 7th grade. This content will be moved here to my new blog shortly ~ Sample here: http://hearawhisperat.blogspot.com/p/program-we-learn-from-spiders.html

*Tutor/Nanny ~ 1st through 7th grades
*Summer & Special Program Development ~ Pre-K through 6th grade
*In-Home Sick Child Care Attendant @ HHHC
*High School Youth Ministry
*Writer - Parenting Blog, Children's book on bullying and self-worth
*Sunday School Superintendent
*Cook for Private School

Education ~

*Minneapolis Community College, '80-'81

*Atelier Lack School of Art Minneapolis, ‘81-’82

*Palomar College ‘85-’87, 4.0 GPA, Certification in Early Childhood Education

*Self-Study and Various Conferences/Workshops
*B.E.S.T. Arts Conferences ‘00-‘02

In Recent Years:

*Art Blog
http://methinkart.blogspot.com/

*Art Department Head
www.artstee.com

*Parenting Blog and Curriculum (I am in the process of moving this content to my new blog here)
www.hearawhisperat.blogspot.com

*Published Author and Illustrator of Children‘s book, “Monsters, Monsters, Monsters!”, about bullying. Published by Star America Books.

*Art-A-Whirl 2011

*3rd Place Award - Mixed Media
www.LittleStrokesGallery.com