I have successfully taught Voice, Acting & The Business of the Arts at Strike It Up Artistic Center for the last year and have helped aspiring singers/actors develop their skills for auditions, competitions, college theatre programs and even how to navigate the business when you're just starting out as a performer.

Navy spouse Andria Williams' novel and stories create communities of freedom and support, and life imitates art in the supportive communities she's built into the Military Spouse Book Review and The Wrath-Bearing Tree. Williams also shares a sneak peek at her latest novel manuscript while being open about some of the sacrifices made when drafting.

My first visit to France was as a young Navy wife back in 1988 or 89 as a young J.O.'s wife. There were several of us going over to meet up with our husband's submarine where it was pulling into Brest, France. In the passing years, I've made it back over there 4 times. But this past summer was the best experience I've ever had in my life. I was there for the whole month of June, teaching two back to back art workshops.

Experiences and new environments shape our views, inwardly and outwardly. Air Force spouse Alexa Bonney uses art to open up dialogs about her evolving viewpoints. In the MilspoFAN July 2019 interview, Alexa discusses how changed perceptions, culture, history, and symbolism inspire her paintings.

For musician / Coast Guard spouse Lauren Leiter, making music runs in her family. Creating songs with others is a way she stays connected and keeps communication flowing even with multiple military moves. Learn more about Lauren and 'Lighter Ray,' her duo with her sister.

Since my interview in June 2017 I have unfortunately traveled a lot less. It's so much harder and more expensive in and from the US than Europe, but I try to do local or regional events as they come up, and get out of town if even for a local "stay-cation" for a day or two. I did that this weekend in Colonial Williamsburg, actually.

Frequent PCSing often leaves military spouses no option other than putting careers on hold for the short-term or even long-term. Mil spouse photographer Meredith Ryncarz has developed a way to keep her business going from move to move, with strategies that help her establish new clients/bookings before she has reached the new duty station. With so many mil spouses going through the same career frustrations, Meredith shares these strategies to help other mil spouse creative business owners.

We are in the process of PCSing back to the States after just under three amazing years in Spain. Here in Spain, I have been able to fulfill my three professional goals I have set for myself when we got here. I have studied bulerias, I have bought a bata de cola (the long skirt we dance with) and I have performed in Spain. Of course, to be a flamenco dancer stationed in Spain seems like a special gift from the Navy Gods That Be.

Ever wonder how to make your art serve your community? In our April Artist Interview, photographer and visual artist Stephannie Maskowski shares how the difficulty of transitioning her art business between postings lead her art in a new direction, serving the military community through art therapy.

Well, the book I’ve been gestating is 3.867% more done than it was last year. But my kids are doing well (I think…who pays attention to such things?) and my laundry-room Woodchuck is thriving. I taught her how to sort lights, darks and delicates. She is my new best friend.

Right now, I’ve got bigger problems than the lack of progress on a novel.

How Different Artists Can Participate in the 100 Day Project The 100 Day Project is a celebration of process that encourages everyone to participate in 100 days of making. It's beautiful in its simplicity and flexibility allowing creators of all disciplines to participate. It produces incredible results, sometimes even life-changing.

Coming into militaryspousedom in my 30s, I find a kindred spirit in Megan Mioduski's story. It's difficult to discover that PCSing and military life often doesn't support a spouse's career, and entering into a community in which you feel like the odd-one-out just compounds an already disruptive situation. As an actress, Megan had to discover creative ways to make sure she could practice her craft and help others achieve their acting goals as well. And as someone who doesn't quite fit in with the generalized definition of a military spouse, Megan learned that embracing her identity and quirks makes her all the more creative and stronger.

In 2017 we PCSed to Tampa, FL. I was fortunate enough to make connections with a few people before we moved. The University of Tampa hired me to teach, and is where I am still teaching in the Dance Program.

Ashley Patricelli is a painter whose work reflects an openness to experimentation and letting the subconscious emerge. Her work evokes emotion with rich texture and imagery interplaying with layers of color and dimension. Ashley describes a relationship with her art-making that is authentic, curious, and playful. After reading her words and seeing her work, I'm feeling so inspired that I just might dig out my acrylics (from the PCS box I just packed) and have some playtime of my own!

I have a friend here in the UAE who had been to the Jaipur Lit Fest in the past and kept asking me to go with her. This being my last year in Abu Dhabi and therefore the last time I would be just a quick jaunt from India, I finally said yes. And it was tremendous.

Army spouse Christy Tremblay’s mixed-media art is the perfect metaphor for a multi-textured, multi-layered military life. As mil-spouses, we often don’t know where life is taking us next as we evolve with each new place and experience, and all of those unexpected places and experiences become layers that shape us into the people we never knew we could be. There is beauty in all that layering and evolution, in the unforeseen and in adaptation. Christy Tremblay’s unexpected journeys leads us to magical gardens and dream-like landscapes; they are places that celebrate.

I did manage to have a solo show of my watercolor paintings early in 2018, but the momentum didn’t last for me, unfortunately. I bet many of you reading this can relate to the feeling of “holding down the fort,” and I found myself in that position a lot in the past year. Even in August, when we finally enrolled my youngest in preschool, I found that I was constantly using the extra time this gave me for any number of tasks other than painting in my workspace at home.

This December as the winter weather descends, what better way to spend an evening than wrapped up in a blanket and a tale of romance? Elizabeth Ann West is an author and former military spouse who writes charming Jane Austin fan fiction and variations. Elizabeth talks with us about how her work and life as a military child and military spouse helped prepare her for life after Dependent status. She candidly shares how her work gave her a sense of stability, strength, and identity during her recent divorce.

Half of me feels like the time has flown by, but the other half spent a few months of the summer feeling like I was trapped and would never leave here. Fortunately, that fog has lifted quite a bit and I’m just trying to get back into some kind of normal-ish routine.

In this month's Artist Interview, we take a spin in the ballet slippers of dancer, choreographer, and dance teacher Kathryn Lanier. Kathryn shares her passion for dance,  the role of dance in her world as a military spouse, and the story of one very special Nutcracker Ballet performance that reminds us why this ballet is so cherished.