Biography
Artists take advantage of time and place to hone their insatiable need to create. Lori VanKirk Schue did just that as a military wife living in all regions of the United States and traveling in Europe, Asia, South America and the Far East. She has spent more than 45 years learning about and creating art using various techniques, styles, and mediums. As a diverse artist she is accomplished in painting, ceramics, basketry, printing, weaving, glasswork and art history.
VanKirk-Schue says she knew she wanted to be an artist when she was very young and the need for creating art has only grown stronger throughout her life. She can’t remember not being thrilled, mystified and comforted by her ability to create artwork that speaks to people of all ages. She enjoys the essence of all genres and has taught students from as young as 2 to those young at heart into their 80s. Taking advantage of her many moves with her husband and children during their 26 years in the US Coast Guard, she used her visual communications degree and thirst for learning to glean information and expertise in a wide variety of art forms from realism to abstract.
Her early design career delivered many awards which gave her confidence to attempt and achieve inclusion in galleries and prestigious national shows. Wanting to fill a void in her children’s education when school systems were cutting art programs nationwide, she developed art curriculum for an elementary school which led her to being courted as an authority on art education by international publishers and program developers. This lead to the first of over twenty books on art education and specialized story enhanced art lessons published by powerhouses such as Evan-Moor and Scholastic. VanKirk-Schue soon became a featured speaker at educational conferences including NAE and NAEA. Her area of expertise is children with a particular forte in art education for those with special needs.
In 2009 she created Artlingz, Inc., a resource for everyone wanting to teach and create art with children. Soon after, she founded a unique format for children’s books called SeeSayCreate, Inc. that engages children with a story, creative vocabulary and art activities for whole minded learning. VanKirk-Schue’s art and books have been shared, collected and interpreted for artists all over the world. Her mastery in basket weaving and design was showcased in a Smithsonian art show at the Ripley Museum. She is an accomplished colored pencil artist and has been accepted as a member of the Association of Animal Artists for her work in animal portraiture. Studies in Creative Psychology helped her understand her own genius as a synesthete. She studies art and art history along with archaeology at Christ Church College, Oxford University in England, UK.
Taking the pace down a notch to have more time to devote to her own creations, she now spends time volunteering, attending her book signing events, teaching an occasional adult art class, traveling, honing her skills, and feeding her passion for art history.
- Award-winning fine and graphic artist
- Author of bestselling Art Works for Kids, published by Evan-Moor, and Art and Design by Scholastic
- Professional illustrator
- Director of curriculum development for international children's art programs
- Creator and owner of Artlingz, Inc. and SeeSayCreate, Inc.
- Degree in visual communications
- Studies and research in creative psychology
- Author and illustrator for SeeSayCreate books
- Accomplished in painting, ceramics, basketry, printing, weaving, glass, and art history
- MAC award winner in signage and architectural design
- Featured speaker for national education conferences
- Member, Association of Animal Artists
- Instructor for Smithsonian Associates Art Division
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