We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kathleen House a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Kathleen, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s the kindest thing anyone has ever done for you?

The first five years of my life, I was loved and taught to be positive by my Grandma. She would let me draw on her front porch with crayons. She let me run around in the summer after I was five and had moved to another town. I was allowed to come back in the summer for a few weeks and hang out with her. I met one of my best friends, Karen, who lived just across the street from Grandma Emma. This summer experience continued through grade school and early Jr. High when I would come stay with her.

I have so many positive and fun memories from the summer experiences. She always said YES to me. Here are a couple examples:
“Grandma, “Can I draw with crayons on your front porch cement floor?” YES
“Can Karen and I roller skate to the park a block away and hang out as long as we want?” YES

Another way she inspired me to be creative, was that she was a creative seamstress. She designed and sewed for me and my doll a matching night gown. Also she sewed me a poodle shirt in the 1950’s. My granddaughter was named after Emma, and she was in a decade dance show a few years ago. She wore the poodle skirt on stage dancing in the 1950’s style. Now the skirt is framed and hanging at her house on the wall.

So much positivity in my life.. YES!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers?

Ever since being a child and inspired my my Grandma Emma, I have wanted to be in Art. I was only in music all through High School, which I loved and my instructors were so inspiring and positive. However I wanted to study and be in the Art world. My Uncle Don was a professional artist. I asked him when I was in Jr. High “How can I be an artist?” He said “Draw everyday”

When I entered College at KState in Manhattan.Ks. I decided to major in Art. I did and also became an art teacher. I planned out art curriculum for a school in Texas, and continued to instruct. I was able to complete my Masters in Art Education at TWU in Denton,Tx.

I owned an art business with a friend and art teacher as I was also teaching elementary art and completing my Masters degree.

My husband and I moved to the country and our adult daughters and I ran another Art Education Business. Also I was very active in my studio, creating, displaying and selling my art.

Being an instructor is so exciting. Sharing with others what they can do to create and understand how it works to make art, has inspired me as well as others.

I still teach workshops and classes, but not as much as I used to. Currently I am back in the studio creating my Abstract Expressive paintings on large canvas.

It means so much to me when a client, and an art purchaser sees what they see in my art. Being so abstract, It has meaning to me, but they also find meaning and images that I never saw. It means so much to share with others. You can find lots about me on my website. Khouseart

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

The first partner was a teacher in the district that was starting to grow. She taught High School Art and I was the one who developed and taught curriculum for the elementary art program. When we met, she and I started teaching summer art classes and then we moved on to rent an old church building and continued to instruct in the summer and during the year as we were also teaching in the public school. We owned it together for 9 years, until I moved to the country.

After moving, my daughters and I owned another art instruction business, then we sold it after 11 years. Now I own my own business. Red Barn Studio and Art Classes

We’d appreciate any insights you can share with us about selling a business.

Yes, My oldest daughter wanted to get out of the business, because she was having her first baby. I understood, however I keep working and kept it going for a few years.

There was a day that I thought to myself, ok I need to find a buyer and move on. Walking into a store, I got a call from a woman who wanted to open another art business in the town ours was in. I asked her if she would like to just purchase ours and she did!

We were fortunate, it was just meant to be.

Contact Info:

• Website: khouseart.com
• Instagram: kathleenhouse
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/kathouseart
• Linkedin: kathleen house
• Other: RedBarnStudioandArtCLasses