Ann Vinson Finds Her Passion in Art

Sitting in Art Lovers Gallery in Carbondale with Ann Vinson, it's difficult to find something she doesn't do. Finally, we decided on fiber art.

"I don't do that, but I think I could if I tried," she said with an easy smile.

Vinson has the feature display right now at Art Lovers, a collection of wildlife photos she calls, "Where the Wild Things Are". And, though they are her featured art right now, just looking around the store you can find a lot more of Ann.

"These aren't mine," she said, pointing to a pair of beaded earrings, "but I do make earrings like that." On the coffee table in front of the store's seating area, she has a photo cards, with pictures of her other artwork or of wildlife, above her head are a collection of colored pencil drawings of the big cats, tigers and leopards, and by her feet is a bright orange poppy painted in acrylics.

"I think I've always drawn, from those drawings we all do kindergarten, ever since. My parents bought me a drawing kit when I was 10 and I was hooked. They were always buying me some sort of art kit because I loved it so much."

"Right now, it feels like it's time for photography," she said. So, that's where she's been concentrating her efforts, but that doesn't mean her other art is being ignored. She has hand-crafted pendants sculpted in clay that she mixes herself to get the right color tones then bakes together the creations of clay and beads. And she makes her own beads for those earrings we talked about earlier.

Ann has devoted just about her entire life to art, with a little time out to get a degree in journalism advertising. She has designed t-shirts for the Greek system at the University of Illinois and painted murals on churches, and found her passion in art.

"Jesus is my life, but art is my passion," Ann said. And, her desire to make the most of her God-given talent and give something back to her church led to her other sideline, Ann Vinson mural painter.