Jennifer Pearson Eichelberger
was born with a pencil in hand (it was rather an uncomfortable birth for her mother.)
Before she set foot in kindergarden, she knew she'd be an artist when she grew up. However, not everyone shared her enthusiasm for her career choice. Well meaning relatives and teachers warned her against such an impractical career path. At a young age she learned the term "starving artist."
By the time she was in seventh grade she figured so many people couldn't be wrong. After all, growing up in a rural comunity in the middle of Montana, you earned your bread through blood, sweat, and tears. If you were to do something exoctic it would be fighting fires or teaching.
One day while working on an art project at her grade school a teacher asked her,
"Jennifer, what do you want to study after High School."
Jennifer listed off several options. None of which had anything to do with art. The teacher looked at her dumbfounded and asked, "Why don't you want to study art?"
She repeated to her what she had heard so often, "Its not a practical career."
The teacher looked straight into her eyes and said, "Don't you believe that. There are people all over this country that make a living by doing art. If art is what you want to do, you do it."
That conversation left a lasting impression on Jennifer. From that momment she truly felt she could choose her path.
Her family moved to another small town in Utah at age seventeen. There she felt encouragement from many sources. Several teacher saw her talent and urged her to develope it.
