About The Artist
Teri L. Whiteley-Sowden
Aside from my family, one of my great loves in life is doing pen and ink Pointillism drawings of animals…all kinds of animals (another of my great loves)!
 I have been drawing animal pictures for as long as I can remember, mostly for my grandfather, who encouraged me to draw his horses. My Dad’s job sent us all over the world, living in Europe twice and in or through most of the 50 states. I'm not complaining, it is life experiences I wouldn't trade for anything. And had it not been for that I would have never had one very special 10th grade Art teacher. She was the one that introduced me to Pointillism. She thought that I had a great deal of potential as a young artist, particularly with pen and ink, scratch board, charcoals and graphite, really anything black and white (so to speak), it was easier for me than color. She was no bigger than a minute but feistier than any of her teenaged students. She introduced us to many different techniques and media's. She believed in variety and widening your horizons. I was proficient enough at scratch board that I won several student competitions and had great potential to do the  same in Pointillism. It came natural to me and I got better and better at putting all those little dots together. She saw this, and encouraged me throughout the year to keep drawing and practicing these art forms. She was the one who put me in for most of the art shows, exhibits and awards I won as a student. I had even received an award to attend the International Art School held at the International Peace Gardens at the border of North Dakota and Canada that year. The next year she passed away from Cancer. Her influence and faith in my art abilities has been monumental to me through the years and I will never forget her. Thanks Ms. Keyes!!
S hortly after high school I had married and then had two little children to care for, so unfortunately, I didn’t have much time to work on my pictures or enter shows or competitions any more, just didn't have the time. So I went to work in a grocery store to help make ends meet.
 Now, my children are grown up and I have jumped back into doing what I have always loved to do, my ARTWORK! With the support and encouragement of my children and my Father, I applied for a business license and started TLWS Wildlife Art! I have done several Fine Art shows and Arts festivals in my area and I was shocked at how many people came by my displays and asked if the pictures were “computer generated”. I didn't realize how many people did not know what “Pointillism” was as a matter of fact the only ones who did were artists themselves that or art/art history majors. I am looking forward to spreading the word “Pointillism” to the world and our young people through my work and I hope to encourage other people to hang on to what they love to do even if it takes 20+ years to get there. I have a great concern that the Arts are being slowly taken out of our public school systems because of budget cuts and without that opportunity when I was in school I would have never been introduced to pointillism and many other wonderful techniques of expression.
 I wish I could tell you of all the great shows and galleries I have been a part of over the years but as you can see my life hasn't allowed me those opportunities until now. In the past year I have had the blessings of being accepted as a registered artist with several galleries and art organizations along with being invited to several Fine Art Festivals and Arts and Craft Festivals in the areas around my home. And I am always looking for an opportunity to show my work!
If you would like to schedule TLWS Wildlife Art to appear for a Live Gallery Showing at your next event please Contact Us
Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity to show “you” my work. I hope you enjoy looking at them, Thanks again.
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