Meet Lori Ruml | Artist, Educator, and Creator of Art Experiences

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lori Ruml and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lori, what is the most important factor behind your success?
Integrity is very important to me. I strive to live my life with integrity and that, of course, includes my professional endeavors. I have a relentless desire to go above and beyond, but most importantly, I love what I do!

It doesn’t matter whether I’m in a classroom, facilitating a corporate workshop, or creating works of art, I approach everything with a strong sense of responsibility. I love to roll up my sleeves, quite literally, and invest my time and energy into creating high-quality, highly informative art experiences that surpass expectations.

I love to teach and to share information. When people take art classes and workshops, they crave information about technique, how the supplies work and why, and all the little tricks of the trade. My favorite part of creating art experiences is watching someone’s eyes, someone’s smile, someone’s face as they gain confidence in their abilities and they realize their potential.

I also believe that success is not created in a vacuum. The support of mentors, colleagues, and friends has played a significant role in my accomplishments. I enjoy working with people and establishing strong relationships. This has paved the way for many collaborative efforts and long-lasting connections.

Volunteering and giving back is part of who I am and if I can do that in artistic and creative ways, all the better! I work with Make a Wish kids to create art to auction to grant more wishes. It is incredibly fulfilling to work with these talented kids as they give back to the organization. I also enjoy volunteering for anything art related through the schools whether it is organizing Family Art nights, volunteering to teach art workshops, or organizing and judging art competitions.

But circling back around, it all comes down to loving what I do. I enjoy creating art experiences that inspire. I get to work in a variety of art mediums, in a variety of situations, and with a variety of different groups of people, so things never get dull.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I found my love for art when I was reluctantly placed into an art class in middle school. My art teacher, Carol Fauble,is still a friend to this day. She inspired me and gave me a love for art, especially pottery and watercolor. I continued with art classes through high school, and by the time graduation rolled around, I knew I wanted to teach art.

College gave me the opportunity to study a variety of new art forms. I received a scholarship to study in Europe for my Master’s degree and had the privilege to study watercolor with artist, Rob Erdle; graduating with a Master’s in Art Education with a concentration in watercolor. My interest extends to all mediums of art from acrylic, oil, and watercolor to sculpture and pottery. I have also had the honor of studying with Renaissance style painter, Frank Covino, focusing on oil painting portraiture in classical styles.

The greatest challenge I’m working to overcome as an artist is that I was once told at the beginning of my career, “I’ve realized that you are not an artist, you’re just an art teacher.” That offhanded comment really changed how I looked at who I was and what I did. It was a crippling mental block for me and I spent the next 20 years struggling with the idea of whether or not I was actually an artist, or as stated, “just an art teacher”. In all that time, I didn’t create art for myself. Anything I created was for the classroom, to learn a new skill, for a commission, gifts, or for a client. That comment still always sits in the forefront of my mind, creating such self doubt..

I am definitely a creative. I pour my heart into all my work, coming up with new and different ways to teach concepts and techniques, innovative projects and workshops, and out of the box ideas. But does my creativity and my technical skill make me an artist if my work is simply for other people, for educational purposes and events?

About 5 years ago, I decided to become more involved in the art world and do something for myself. I joined the board of the Visual Arts League of Allen and began surrounding myself with other artists and began creating art that resonates with my passions, my anxious mind, and my soul. Finally, what I am creating is more of an expression of who I am. I have been enjoying the journey and even the struggle of expressing myself through my artwork and not merely creating work for other people. Perhaps, I can now call myself an artist.

I have a profound love of art but my true passion is teaching.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I am privileged to have friends who support me and tell me how talented or capable I am when I am struggling or just not feeling it and need that little push. One of my closest friends and biggest cheerleaders stood behind me and told me I could manage the biggest mural I have ever done and thus the 1,500 square foot mural on the side of the Lincoln Center building in Dallas came to be. I am lucky to have a group of friends who consistently work to open doors for me, to tell me I can accomplish whatever my dreams may be, and who offer help, advice, and opportunities to excel.

Website: www.the-art-experience.com

Instagram: dfw.art.experience

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lori-ruml-art-experience/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theartexperiencepage/