Kari McKnight Holbrook (aka The Backporch Artessa,) is an award winning artist, instructor and author who’s been pursuing her passion for art since childhood, resulting in 3 college degrees and an Ohio teaching license. Kari enjoys teaching workshops at Mixed Media retreats and art stores around the country and in France. Her expressive art has hung in many galleries and her art, articles and studio have been featured in Cloth Paper Scissors, Cloth Paper Scissors Studios, Art Journaling by Somerset Studio Magazine, and the Stampington’s AJ Art Calendar. Her Cloth Paper Scissors Video Workshop with Interweave releases in March of 2013. Consulting with Faber Castell, she helped develop instructional materials for their Art Journaling and ATC Kits. Her successfully growing stamp line launched in 2011. She is excited to have been chosen as a Polyform Products Design Team Member for 2013. Kari is a devoted instructor and she delights in sharing her love for art with students, watching them bloom in their artistic journeys. Her engaging, popular classes are light hearted and designed with student’s pleasure and success in mind, enthusiastically guiding projects and techniques while allowing for artistic self discovery and individualization. Kari lives with her creative and patient husband Mike. For a view from the back porch please visit http://backporchartessa.blogspot.com.