Art has always had a place in my life. At a young age, art was my entertainment, as my mom taught ceramics at home. Once I entered grade school, art became an outlet for learning. After being diagnosed with dyslexia and attention deficit, art was a natural way for me to overcome challenging subject areas. As I progressed through grade school and middle school, I developed my art skills.  I was able to use my skills in art to apply for and get accepted to the prestigious Perpich Center for the Arts. During college, my art classes helped balance the challenging workload of Bethel University’s education department. When becoming a new mom, art allowed me to start my own business bringing art to in-home childcare centers.  Art became my number one pain management tool in my thirties when I was diagnosed with a chronic pain disease. It is not a surprise that art was my grief support when my father died. Throughout the years, art has had many names in my life: support, comfort, and joy to name a few. However, art has not been a talent or identity. Instead, I have used art as a tool and/or strategy. The field of art therapy has been my dream since high school. That is why starting “Drawn Together” is a dream come true for me.