Arts

Linda LaRue Austin

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Austin, Linda 1355831Fort Worth, TX, USA
Industry: Arts
Field: Freelance Writing

Linda LaRue Austin was always encouraged to pursue a career in writing. The daughter of quiet farmers, she took to reading early in life, a pastime easily enjoyed living in a serene and peaceful environment. Her paternal grandmother was a schoolteacher, so books were never hard to come by, and her interest in writing only increased as the years progressed. As a high school student, she was encouraged further by one of her English teachers, Thelma Newby, who praised her writing abilities.

In 1967, Ms. Austin completed a bachelor’s degree in theology and Christian education, with a minor in drama, at Northwest Christian College, an institution to which she received a scholarship. She became an ordained pastor in 1970, and earned a Master of Religious Studies from Lexington Theological Seminary the same year. She has since fulfilled her desire to serve as a minister through Stephen Ministries and the Disciples of Christ Church.

Ms. Austin is an honored member of Fort Worth Writers, and maintains affiliations with the Oklahoma Writers’ Federation, Inc. and the Romance Writers of America. She is also a former member of the W. F. Albright Institute of Archaeological Research, and considers herself to be an expert in various subjects, including several areas of history, archery and photography. She credits her successful career to having good friends, good fortune, a loving God, and being persistent.

Now retired from her career as a writing instructor and educator, Ms. Austin currently works as a freelance writer. She has produced several manuscripts, and her fantasy novel, “Midnight Amethyst,” is nearly complete. “You have to learn your craft,” she says. “If you know the craft, there’s just about anything you can do with it.” With that in mind, she intends to continue growing personally and professionally in the future. Continue reading →

Ellie A. Blair

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Blair, Ellary

Owner
Ellie Pots Inc.
Lawrence, KS, USA
http://elliepotsinc.com
Industry: Arts
Field: Crystalline Pottery

Every day, after her morning coffee, Ellary Ann Blair makes her way to her studio, where she is able to let her creativity run wild. “My time is my own, I can do what I want, and I can experiment and invent all on my own,” she says. As the owner of Ellie Pots Inc., Ms. Blair has made a career out of her lifelong passion, something most people only fantasize about. She has always wanted to start her own business, and with nearly 50 years of experience, she has made this a reality.

With such fervor for the arts, specifically pottery, it comes as a surprise that Ms. Blair didn’t start out in the field initially. She began her career in the nursery business, running five greenhouses. A plant propagator for 30 years, she would grow her own plants, cutting from every bush in order to grow new plants. After three decades, she retired from the nursery business, having accumulated 85 greenhouses. She playfully describes becoming the owner of a pottery studio as having “traded working in one kind of mud for another.” For nearly a decade, Ms. Blair has been creating hand-crafted pottery, using different types of crystalline glazes. In 2002, she supplemented her God-given talent for art by earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Design from The University of Kansas.

Ms. Blair is a member of The American Ceramic Society, The Potters Guild, and a local artists and potters guild. Recognized as an Upcoming New Artist by the Lattice Structures Symposium in 2005, she is working toward having her first solo exhibition at the Lawrence Art Center in Lawrence, Kan. She would like to be remembered by her peers as an energetic woman who loved to have her hands in the mud, and looking ahead, she hopes to increase the recognition she receives for her work. Continue reading →

Sylvia Fraley

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FraleyAuthor
BreezetheMermaid.com
Rogers, AR, USA
http://www.breezethemermaid.us
Industry: Arts
Field: Creative Writing

The ability to translate the wonders of one’s imagination into written word is one that requires great skill, time commitment, and most importantly, natural talent. Sylvia Fraley exercises all of these attributes and pours herself into her work as an author of novels on a variety of topics. On websites and in bookstores around Arkansas, Ms. Fraley’s books draw in audiences that appreciate drama, suspense, mystery and a little bit of romance. For this passionate writer, the greatest reward gleaned from her work — other than seeing her name in print — is knowing that readers are entertained when turning the pages of her novels.

Among some of the fascinating titles published by Ms. Fraley are “Eye to Eye,” the story of a chance meeting involving crime, near-death encounters and love; “Only a Fortune Cookie?”; and “Breeze…the Mermaid” and its sequel “Breeze…the Mermaid II: The Tridon,” which blur the line of reality between humans on land and mythical creatures in the sea. These exciting tales are the result of a similarly colorful life led by Ms. Fraley, whose experiences have taken her to many places throughout the globe and introduced her to a myriad of personalities, one of whom was Ronald B. Walkshorse, who illustrated book covers and contributed additional storylines for the “Breeze” series. The pair is set to release the third installment of the series and plans to continue their partnership with more publications.

In addition to her writing, Ms. Fraley is an insurance adjuster for Wal-Mart Stores Inc. She has written fashion articles for the Los Angeles Times and created layouts for advertising agencies on a freelance basis. Her favorite activities include traveling to create new memories and writing material, and enjoying nature outdoors. To witness the beauty of many cultures and acquire a wider audience, she plans to publish her books worldwide.  Continue reading →