Maria Colamarino is working on another chapter in her life and is illustrating it beautifully.
Having attended college, worked, married, and raised four children, she decided to finish her education at Forsyth Technical Community College and started in the fall of 2016.
“I wanted to set an example for my children by going back to school to get my general education classes and seek my career path,” said Colamarino. “It was challenging to learn with students in my classes who were my sons age.”
She was impressed how the Forsyth Tech instructors made the classes interesting and motivational. Colamarino has encouraged her daughter to attend Forsyth Tech, and her husband and brother-in-law are already enrolled here.
Early at Forsyth Tech, she expressed her interest in becoming an art teacher. Two of her instructors, Cecilia Wright and Jason Lancaster encouraged her to pursue her goals. Lancaster recommended that she join Arts for Art Sake, the community of artists in Winston-Salem, and start
showing her artwork. He also advised her to enter the student exhibit in the Robert L. Strickland Center. As it worked out, she was the only student who submitted work, so she had a solo show. When she saw her work exhibited, she cried.
“I was moved that people thought my work was good, and they had it displayed just like I would have done,” said Colamarino.
Upon graduating from Forsyth Tech in 2017, she now attends the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, focusing on art education. She also plans to take a monthlong art study abroad in Italy this summer.
Art lets you live in the present moment and helped me discover who I am,” said Colamarino. “I want to use my education and talent to share with children. Art can be a positive influence on everyone to share their talents.”
