“Creativity takes courage.” – Henri Matisse

The act of creating, this is what drives me, whether that be in the kitchen making a new recipe, casting on a new knit, or exploring the world through the lens of an artist. The act of creating is deep in my bones, I come from a long line of woodworkers, seamstresses, knitters, bakers, and in my opinion all artists. Creativity and exploring the arts was always encouraged growing up, as long as I can remember I seem to always be in mid-project. Continually creating, this is a good way to describe myself. 

It seemed to be only natural that I would study art in my college years. Graphic Design was my final destination in my undergraduate degree. However this left me unsatisfied, ultimately I wanted to be building into the next generation. Raising up and pouring into kids that one day would be investigators, creative thinkers, problem solvers, and most of all compassionate and caring people. 

Thankfully all of my work experience centered around kids, from coaching gymnastics to being the art shop coordinator at Bible camp, and a small charter school in the heart of Minneapolis took a chance on a girl with a graphic design degree. Here I was able to develop (from scratch!) and teach a PreK – 8th grade art program where many students had very little experience with art in general. In my five years teaching there I watched students flourish, find themselves as artists, and develop skills they never knew they had. During this time I also went back to school and received my Masters of Arts in Education with a K – 12 Art License.

Then came my sweet baby boy and I made the very tough decision to step away from the classroom that I so carefully created and enter into the world of full time mom mode. This transition was difficult and my desire to be with my students was so strong, but ultimately I knew I needed to be home with my son.

This is where Raising up Makers comes in. As I’ve been navigating becoming a mom, my desire to educate, and my belief that creative thinking is essential for our children and their futures has not changed. My sweet baby boy has grown into a toddler, who is incredibly curious and investigative. He is my inspiration and my motivation to create learning from home opportunities for families designed to foster the skills necessary in the next generation of artists, problem solvers, and creative thinkers. I am excited to explore the world of art with you and your children. 

Sincerely, Brianna Lee