Hi! My name is Riley! I’m 20 years old, about to be 21!! I live in West Virginia with my boyfriend and our many plant babies- haha! I am studying to be an Art Educator and I couldn’t be happier with the path I am on.
I grew up in a small town with my four siblings- Benjamin, Maria, Timothy, and Lauren (LAR-en, not LOOR-en, the ladder makes her upset) and my parents, Timothy and Robin. All throughout my young life, my parents constantly encouraged me to be myself and create. So, I did, and I still am.
When it came to choosing my path in education and my career, it became quite evident to my family and friends that I was confused. I began my college career in Exercise Physiology. Not much like the president-of-the-art-club (for three years) can’t-stop-making-art-or-buying-art-supplies, super-crafty girl that they had known before. But, I was determined to make money and a good life for myself so I chose to do what would make me money, not make me happy. I was interested in anatomy and science but it wasn’t the same as art. It wasn’t until I had a visit with my high school art teacher halfway through my first year that someone would speak the words that I hadn’t known I needed:
You don’t do art for the money
and that was it. Here I am a year and a half later, with the potential to make half as much money as before (ugh teaching wages, am I right?), work that is far more challenging for me, the daunting chance that I could get screwed by involving myself in a bad school system, and for some reason, I couldn’t be happier.
Riley's ART 267 Blog 