We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Teresa Graham. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Teresa below.

Teresa, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

Some of the most meaningful projects I have worked on have been for Art with a Heart in Healthcare, which is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing personalized fine art experiences that enhance the healing process for patients at Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Jacksonville. Art helps patients and their families alleviate the fear, pain, boredom, and depression that can be associated with hospitalization. It helps empower a patient when they are feeling powerless. As a volunteer artist, I have created paintings to be used in projects with families who have lost a child, as well as art now hanging in exam rooms at Nemours Children’s Specialty Care Clinic. I have also helped Art with a Heart in Healthcare with fundraisers and grant writing on the Board of Directors. To find out more about Art with a Heart in Healthcare or to donate, you can find the website at www.awahih.org.

Teresa, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I studied music and art at Yale University and graduated with a degree in English. I was surrounded by creativity during my career as a book editor at Workman Publishing, Reader’s Digest for Kids, and Time-Life Books, where my work involved hiring artists, writers, and photographers, and managing their work on cookbooks, children’s books, non-fiction books, and calendars.

Although I have enjoyed painting and drawing since I was a child, I really began focusing on my artwork in the last ten years. In my most recent series of acrylic paintings called Reading the Sky, I am combining my love of beautiful writing and meditative artwork to capture images described in my favorite books.

I now sell my artwork through my website, which is at teresagraham-art.com. I am represented by PAStA (Professional Artists of St. Augustine) Fine Art Gallery, located at 214 Charlotte Street in St. Augustine, Florida. I also have paintings and notecards for sale at First Coast Cultural Center, 3972 Third Street South, Jacksonville Beach, Florida.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is how meditative the creative process can be. I am also certified to teach meditation and yin yoga, which are very similar to those moments when I begin working on a painting and then I look up and see that four hours have gone by. I create acrylic paintings that capture the unique shapes and subtle patterns of nature and have found that focusing on this subject matter is also very calming.

: Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My goal is for my artwork to keep evolving over time as I explore new ideas, subjects, and techniques. I enjoy collaborating with other artists to encourage others to experience all that art can offer. I recently began earning a master’s degree in Museum Studies through Harvard Extension School, and it is amazing learning about all the ways art can make a difference in people’s lives — as communication, connection, and activism. Whether it is following my own creative journey or sharing creativity with others, I’m excited about all that is possible!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.teresagraham-art.com
• Instagram: @teresagraham_art
• Facebook: @TeresaGraham
• Linkedin: –
• Twitter: –
• Youtube: –
• Yelp: –
• Other: Find Pasta Fine Art Gallery at 214 Charlotte Street, St. Augustine, Florida or www.pastagalleryart.com Find Art with a Heart in Healthcare at 841 Prudential Drive, Suite 150, Jacksonville, Florida or www.awahih.org Find First Coast Cultural Center at 3972 Third Street South, Jacksonville Beach, Florida or www.firstcoastculturalcenter.org

Image Credits
Megan Graham (artist photo)