As a child, Holly Irwin dreamed of becoming an artist. With encouragement from her mother, she began formal art classes at age 11, studying under Pittsburgh's legendary art teacher, Joseph Fitzpatrick, whose list of famous students include Andy Warhol. Four years later, at age 15 years, Holly was awarded a scholarship to Carnegie-Mellon University’s fine arts program for high school students.

“My mother was an artist, a fashion illustrator and a seamstress; she made all of our clothes, even coats and hats,” said Holly. “So I guess it’s not a surprise that fashion and design inspire me most. I create my own fashions on canvas using the language of color, line and composition. I love taking one of my drawings and elevating it to a large scale, fine art painting. Sketchbooks of figure drawings and dresses are everywhere in my home and studio. I try to sketch every day.”

This month’s cover art "Friendship" is from the series “Breezy and Gullah Mermaids” by Lisa Rivers, who gave us this insight into the painting, “The water represents freedom. The skirts blowing in the wind represents women who are both strong and graceful. The ribbon represents the fight against cancer. My mother died of cancer, and I could feel her spirit flowing through me as I painted this piece,” Lisa explained. She has fought many battles in her life but, through her strength and grace, is a successful artist and entrepreneur today. “Real friendship has a true ‘Breezy’ healing power of love,” Lisa added.

Perry Milou is arguably one of the nation’s most recognized pop artists. Critics and collectors have hailed his bold, vibrant palette over the past 30 years. Considered a talented forward-thinker with diversified inspirations, Milou’s work has often been described as “alluring,” “brilliant,” “fresh” and “glamorous.”

Milou’s ever-evolving style creates a blend of pop culture contemporary art that is frequently a tribute to global icons, Americana and celebrities. His A-list of clients include Sophia Loren, President Joe Biden, Sylvester Stallone, Tom Petty, Robert Herjavec, Taylor Swift, Willie Nelson, Lady Gaga and Allen Iverson.

On 10 acres in Madison Georgia, surrounded by rolling hills, Wyanne Thompson creates energetic abstract art in her orchid-filled studio. She has been a full-time artist for two decades, during which time her work has changed dramatically. Our cover art this month, “Big Diva Riding a Bicycle,” was painted in 2005 as part of a series. Wyanne told us, “After the birth of my two children, I struggled a bit with my weight, and the Big Divas were an expression of my comfort level in being a full-figured gal who could do anything!”

The shift in her work came from a major upheaval in Wyanne’s life: “Surviving stage 4 oral cancer totally changed my perspective on life as an artist. Since my surgery, chemo and radiation treatments (8+ years ago), I realized what a gift cancer was to me in that it taught me that life is just too friggin’ short to be afraid of trying something new. I always wanted to paint larger and more abstractly. One of my favorite artists is Helen Frankenthaler, and I was always inspired by her extremely large abstracts that were painted in such a way that my heart and mind were captured. So, I have been painting much larger, colorful paintings using raw, unprimed canvas and Belgian linen with my own custom-made acrylic colors, inks, pigments, glitter, mica and lately, I’ve added embroidered threads into my canvases.”

Tracy Verdugo is the perfect cover artist for this month’s #YearnToLearn issue. The Australian artist didn’t begin painting until she was 33, when she signed up for a local art class. Tracy continued her work as a Special Education teacher while developing her art and teaching it to neighborhood kids. She is a natural educator, telling us, “Playing teacher was my favorite game as a kid, and I just have this insatiable excitement to pass knowledge along when I’ve made a discovery!” Tracy taught those classes in the afternoon in her backyard shed for 12 years. She “watched so many of the kids grow in confidence by being given the chance to explore possibilities, discard right and wrong and embrace happy accidents!”

Eventually Tracy began to think bigger about her art and her classes, resigning from her full-time job and applying for a major art retreat in California in 2012. She ended up teaching all over the United States during a 12-week tour! Tracy credits the “large and vibrant community” she had on Facebook with helping her grow one opportunity into many. She repeated the tour the next year, adding some new destinations. That tour led to a book deal with a major arts and crafts publisher.

Growing up in the California foothills, Nancy Quiaoit was a natural artist. “Since I was a very young girl I’ve always expressed myself through painting and drawing,” she told us. Although she briefly pursued formal training, Nancy now describes herself as a self-taught artist. “I made this decision when I took a college art class. I didn’t enjoy the class or the restrictions it placed on my creative ideas.” The freedom expressed in her work is evidence that she made the right choice.

This month’s cover art is “The Mermaid Dance.” We asked Nancy why she paints so many mermaids, and why this one is “dancing” with dolphins: “I paint a lot of mermaids because I love women, the ocean and fantasy. Our oceans connect all life. The ocean is powerful yet fragile. I think women are like the ocean in many ways, too. They are strong, give life, can be playful and soft while still being a force of nature. I like to capture their playfulness and ability to nurture. I painted “The Mermaid Dance” after watching dolphins when I was visiting Hawaii. They were so playful and beautiful.” We’re glad you took that trip to Hawaii, Nancy!

Growing up in the California foothills, Nancy Quiaoit was a natural artist. “Since I was a very young girl I’ve always expressed myself through painting and drawing,” she told us. Although she briefly pursued formal training, Nancy now describes herself as a self-taught artist. “I made this decision when I took a college art class. I didn’t enjoy the class or the restrictions it placed on my creative ideas.” The freedom expressed in her work is evidence that she made the right choice.

This month’s cover art is “The Mermaid Dance.” We asked Nancy why she paints so many mermaids, and why this one is “dancing” with dolphins: “I paint a lot of mermaids because I love women, the ocean and fantasy. Our oceans connect all life. The ocean is powerful yet fragile. I think women are like the ocean in many ways, too. They are strong, give life, can be playful and soft while still being a force of nature. I like to capture their playfulness and ability to nurture. I painted “The Mermaid Dance” after watching dolphins when I was visiting Hawaii. They were so playful and beautiful.” We’re glad you took that trip to Hawaii, Nancy!

 The work life of any artist can be chaotic at times, but things get especially interesting when motherhood is added to the mix. Jessica Mingo creates her bright, organic watercolors in her home studio, surrounded by her “three beautiful redheads.” Britta (7), Beck (6) and Hank (2 months) keep her on her toes. “Work time often becomes a mix of answering questions, changing diapers, cleaning up messes and breaking up squabbles,” but she assured us that it’s “all part of motherhood and a career as an artist.”

Jessica knew she wanted to be an artist at age 6. Both of her parents were artists, and she majored in graphic design at college, with a minor in fine art. In addition to her parents, Jessica is inspired by Van Gogh, Monet, Berthe Morisot and Frida Kahlo. She told us, “I am absolutely obsessed with impressionists; I love their take on reality.”

In her high-rise New York City studio, Beverly Brown uses watercolors, pastels and even digital paint to create artwork in her signature ethereal style. Popular with interior designers, her prints can be found in corporate spaces, law firms, hospitals and private homes around the world. Beverly began her career as a fine art and commercial photographer. Her photographs are in the permanent collection of the New York Public Library.

Beverly told us, “My background in photography absolutely figures into my art today. Photography literally means ‘drawing with light.’ While I work with different media now, I think about light like a photographer—the direction of the light, tonal range and feeling of light. I also take photos constantly on my iPhone to use as references for future paintings.”

A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, mixed-media artist Suzanne Barton moved to South Florida 50 years ago. She had been an amateur photographer since childhood, but meeting portrait photographer Willie L. Hill changed her life. The man Suzanne calls “my teacher, my friend, my critic and constant support” convinced her to go professional in 1985. Thirty years later, her life would change again when she took the plunge into underwater photography.

Suzanne discovered her affinity for water when she moved to the coast. She says, “Water is vital to life as we know it. It supports us in the womb, energizes, purifies and cleanses. Water symbolizes purity, clarity, growth, illumination and transformation. Our bodies average 70 percent water and our blue planet slightly more. The feeling of enhanced well-being around water is universal to all. This effect, known as blue mind, reduces stress and anxiety.”

Bella Pilar made a name for herself through her greeting card designs for Papyrus. Her collaboration with the company has lasted more than a decade and led to her being their featured artist.

“I love to paint for the sake of art and the pleasure of creating a painting, but I’m especially excited when I get to share my art with others by having it printed on product that people can have for themselves and enjoy,” Bella explained. Her work can be found on more than just greeting cards. It’s seemingly everywhere, including gift bags, gift wrap, puzzles, mugs, canvas prints, wall art, journals, jewelry and phone cases.

This month’s cover art is by June Valentine-Ruppe, a self-taught artist who was born and raised in California, where she always had a passion for art. For more than 30 years, June illustrated over 120 children’s books for Disney, Scholastic, Golden Books and more. In the books, she illustrated beloved characters from Sesame Street to Disney and Lamb Chop to Barney the Dinosaur. She even created artwork at special backstage VIP events at Disneyland. When I asked if she still worked as an illustrator, June replied, “For many years now I have devoted myself to creating my own original artwork.”

Living in Ridgeland, SC, with her husband and five children, Kristin Griffis describes her art as “Pop/Folk with a touch of naïveté.” She’s lived in the Lowcountry most of her life, having been born and raised on Hilton Head Island. While Kristin’s been painting since preschool, the time she spent on the West Coast was a major influence on the subject matter and style of her work today.

The image on our cover this month is by prolific artist Kathy Womack. It is titled Women and Wine: Sixteenth Edition and is part of a series of more than 40 paintings. Kathy began her artistic career as a fashion illustrator, working at the Austin American-Statesman in the mid-nineties. She explains her move to canvas from print: “After working in advertising for a decade as a fashion illustrator, I craved freedom from the nine-to-five and looked to a different outlet. I picked up my brushes and never looked back.”

Our cover art for November is called “Kindred Spirits,” and it has us in a Halloween mood. Like most of Joshua Roman’s work, it transports you into another world. It takes the familiar (often drawing on popular culture) and turns it inside out. Through inventive use of color and line, Joshua takes you through the looking glass to the world within.

Joshua creates his spellbinding mixed-media artwork in a secluded home studio in the forested mountains of California, just far enough from the distractions of Los Angeles. He spent 15 years in the City of Angels, but found he is much more productive in the woods, where he moved seven years ago. During that time, Joshua’s work has evolved. He has to be productive to keep up with the demand for his other-worldly paintings.