Wanda Walker Liliedahl lives in Vernon Parish, Louisiana. She was educated at Northwestern University and lived in Houston, Texas, for 30 years.

Liliedahl returned to Vernon Parish, worked in DeRidder, and then retired.

Three decades ago, in Houston, Texas, she was near to obtaining another professional designation -- pure left brain, she said.

"As a reward, I promised myself oil painting classes which never happened.

Fast forward to retirement, in DeRidder, I walked into RealArt DeRidder Gallery as a volunteer and into an art class in progress. I stood at the door listening and watching and didn’t even feel the hook as it reeled me in!

I am married to the previous owner of Liliedahl Video Production. His late wife, Johnnie McRae, had been a college professor turned professional artist and art instructor in Houston/LaPorte, Tx.

Unfortunately, at the zenith of her art career, she passed away with cancer.

Certainly a loss to the art world. Johnnie and her husband, Ralph and I grew up together as classmates for twelve years but had been out of touch since graduation.

Later, Ralph and I married, he sold the business and returned to Vernon Parish. He brought with him, Johnnie’s paintings, a vast art library of books, CDs, DVDs and lesson plans from her classes taught throughout the United States and abroad.

I delved into the art educational materials and on-line workshops with great zeal.

I was bitten by the art bug that has no antidote!

About seven months into this initial art class, I entered a competition in our parish and my art was chosen, one of 29 out of 92 submissions to be exhibited. I didn’t place, but I sure won! Painting opened up to me the love of seeing nature, in a way I’d never seen before which is exhilarating.

I am able to share this love with Ralph who understands art having learned so much from Johnnie as he managed their teaching studio and art gallery as well as film production of instructional art videos of Johnnie and other nationally known artists. He is a great art critic having been behind the camera and editing DVDs into production, provides tremendous support, even pulling a painting out of the trash so I can give it another opportunity for life! Painting is now my passion."