My goal is to connect with more military spouses who are also practicing artists - if that’s you, please, reach out!

As for me, I too have been keeping busy!  I have worked on a few new collections and made a lot of new work that I am really proud of.  I am still working with an art agent, and have had my best year yet in sales and licensing deals.  She has sold some of my work to big brand names like Hobby Lobby, and I got two licensing deals with companies that will be using my work on ceramic glassware, paper plates, tea towels and planters. 

England has been a very fun experience so far. There has been plenty of opportunity to travel, eat good food, and meet new people…

Being a military spouse has also given me the opportunity to see different cultures, and environments that I have been able to derive inspiration from. Whether that is other potters or new landscapes, I find inspiration in all of it. Through pottery, I have formed great friendships throughout the world and these friendships inspire me.

When I find a spot that calls to me, I improvise movement in that found space...

I'm currently working on my second children's book, which will be about a special weekend with my main character, Seoul and her Halmony. My first book, "Seoul Finds Her Talent," was both written and illustrated by me.

Cassie & Patrick Garber are partners in their life and their creative work. As an active military family, they share their love of reading and their pups in their latest book, The Littlest Hound.

These last two years have been a giant learning curve, with tons of mistakes  made along the way. With my second book being published later this fall and  several promising ventures ahead, I’m grateful to have given myself grace in the  missteps and for the confidence I’ve gained from the mistakes.

When you’re not “from” anywhere, how do you ever find a place where you truly “belong”? 

Army spouse and Polymer Clay Artist Bryana Mariko Manzano-Balilio reminds us that creating should always stay true to what brings us joy, and it is something that moves with us and grows with us through all the PCSes and beyond active-duty family life.

It always feels refreshing and brings a renewed sense of excitement to get busy with client work, as I truly believe creativity is a muscle that needs to be exercised through different mechanisms. While cooking may seem like a far cry from photography in the sense of creative mediums, I have found that creating in and of itself spawns more ability and desire to create!...

This was just the project I needed to break me out of my post-graduation funk- It had been months since I created anything much more than an imprint on the couch cushions…

Balancing the creative work with our military life doesn’t go away, but hopefully we can give ourselves grace when things slide for a while.

With flexibility and talent, Martha Wingfield has pursued a multifaceted career while traveling the globe as a military spouse. By making room for her true passion - singing - Martha joyfully performs and teaches her way through multiple moves.

I ended up dragging all my art supplies up from the basement and sorting them.  I wrote a long but deeply satisfying journal entry listing each pursuit—and honestly exploring what was attractive about it as well as what caused me to lose interest.  As I wrote, I suddenly saw how I’d been craving something non-messy that involved pleasing color and texture but that didn’t strain my hands, eyes, or budget…

This coming year, may we experience the joy of breathing, may we be authentic enough to find our tribe, surround ourselves with those who value bravery over perfection, and dive deep into our craft to see what is possible. 

I did theatre all through high school, and when it came time to head to college and pick a major, there was no other choice for me. I graduated armed with that theatre degree, then I headed straight to NYC where I auditioned and worked until I got married. I managed to keep a toe in the theatre world through all the moves - teaching, directing local shows, sometimes having to establish my own classes on post. It wasn’t easy, but I tried to stay involved.

Living in Fairbanks, Alaska was such a great experience and I learned a lot about myself and the direction I wanted to take with my art. I was so grateful to be a part of the Tanana Valley Farmers Market, many local events and having my work displayed at a local brewery. One of my favorite accomplishments was creating a new art collection. This body of work expressed my personal struggles with anxiety, living in Alaska during the pandemic and brought awareness to the effects of winter on people in the Far North.

"The Sacrifice" tells the story of a Military family, from a Military Spouse point of view. It is a direct reflection of my life, and based on real life events as a military spouse.

My brain has been very preoccupied with raising twins and it’s already overloaded with just being a mom and the continuous responsibilities of running a household. Learning something brand new was just not in the cards for me right now. It was important for me to take a step back. I decided to scratch all the new projects and start over with projects that come easy to me and use up some fabric from my stash. During the Christmas holiday I took up embroidery again and completed this stocking for one of my twins. This was an easy project that took just about a week to complete.