​Art by Yvonne d. Graham​

​I was born and raised in Germany in a town near Stuttgart. Growing up in a world full of culture probably inspired me to see art through different eyes.  I've been in love with art since I was a child. There was always a sketch-book with me in order to take every opportunity to draw. Eventually, a very special grammar school teacher noticed and encouraged my artistic efforts. She even remembered my drawings 20 years later. My first big project was in high school, when I was asked to create a mural in the cafeteria, for which I received an award.

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I grew up with creative people around me. My mother created wonderful things to wear and display. And, my father who's life is music, enjoyed being a drummer in a band for many years. My passion was drawing. Although, everybody was creative, Art as a vocation wasn’'t considered an option, especially by my parents. Maybe that's why I ended up putting more effort in it later on in my life, after I achieved my career.

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So, I went off and got an associate degree in architectural drawing, started to study chemistry and biology and then moved on to another University and earned my undergraduate degree in German and Psychology, as well a Masters in Education.  My past is very colorful just like my paintings. While I was teaching grade school and high school I took every chance to involve creativity in my classroom. Whether it was drawings on the black board or working until late at night, I was always designing and illustrating to bring art in my classroom. It even inspired some of my students, and it was thrilling to see the beautiful notebooks they produced over the course of the school year. Just a few years later, I started teaching art, and it was one of my favorite subjects.

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It was not until 2005, when I left Germany and moved to sunny California that I actually started to try out different mediums, such as acrylic paint. I was full with emotions and the best way for me expressing this was my art. It made me feel like a daydreamer and brought me in a wonderful place. After experimenting with different mediums and techniques I fell in love with acrylics and mosaic mirrors. I was always a big fan and fascinated with "Alice in Wonderland" and always dreamed about a little door were I could go thru and escape in a wonderful fairytale world. Art is my wonderful world and the mirrors are my little doors to dive into another world.

 

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                            Come and join me in my Wonderland of Art…