I have faced the music. I, Molly Jo Zornow, have art teacher problems. This little “off season” of mine, I have had some time to rekindle my love with a few other things. As some of you may know, I went to college to become an art teacher, so, the need to create flows within my blood. Seriously, it’s a problem. When I was little, I was the one always wanting to play with glitter and do arts and crafts. I’d plop down in front of the TV at 5 a.m. to watch Donna’s Day (does anyone remember that show!?) and hours later would find myself turning a refrigerator box into a lemonade stand. Every gift I gave (and still give), is either homemade or comes paired with a card or wrapping that is. Following childhood, I scored a job as a park leader and ran tot-lot where I hung with little tikes all day. You could commonly find me making foam door hangers and macaroni necklaces at the worlds smallest picnic table. The need to make things followed me to college, where I studied education and had overnight slumber parties in my studio classes. I even had a neighbor who would feed me wine and dinner in exchange for doing his into to art course homework – the perfect exchange for a college student, I must say. I could not get enough.

Along the way, I ran into ceramics and it was love at first sight. I made more than I needed to and made things for me, not for grades. Let’s face it, I literally became obsessed and the only way to get me out of that studio was to bribe me with pizza. So, after graduating college, I became without a pottery wheel, a kiln, glazes and friends to pull all nighters with. Thank the Lord above that Appleton has a pottery studio to fuel that fire that is instilled in me. A winter pottery class made me feel whole again (is that weird?…)

As a life long learner of the arts, I can’t wait for the Spring session. Until then, I will be picking up a paintbrush, maybe a needle and thread, and some brand spankin’ new Prisma colored pencils to create (woohoo!) For those of you wrapped up in 9-5 jobs, don’t forget to do what makes you tick every now and again. Don’t give up on your passions, folks!