Meet the Artist behind the brushes...
Amanda Okech
Finding My Way Home I believe there are pieces of ourselves that never really leave us. Sometimes they simply wait patiently until we're ready to find them again. For me, one of those pieces was art. My story as an artist didn't begin with The Little Blue Art Studio. It began many years ago, with a young woman who loved to create, who saw beauty in unexpected places, and who imagined a future filled with color, creativity, and possibility. I began college as an art major, excited to explore that future. But at 19, life had other plans. I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic autoimmune disease that brought unexpected challenges and changed the direction of my life. I eventually changed my major, closed my sketchbook, and stepped away from art. I didn't know then that it would be nearly 20 years before I would truly return to creating. A Different Kind of Canvas Those years weren't wasted. Far from it. I built a career dedicated to helping people. I worked in mental health and substance use services, led organizations and programs, advocated for people navigating difficult circumstances, and worked to create meaningful change in the communities I served. Along the way, I became a wife and a mother to two wonderful daughters. I learned to lead, to listen, to problem-solve, and to find strength when life didn't go according to plan. I also learned that life can be beautifully complicated. Living with rheumatoid arthritis taught me patience and resilience, although I can't say I've always been particularly graceful about either. Discovering that I also had ADHD helped me better understand a mind that has always been curious, energetic, full of ideas, and occasionally moving in about twelve directions at once. For years, I poured my creativity into solving problems, developing programs, supporting others, and finding ways to make things better. I was still creating. Just on a very different kind of canvas. And while I was proud of the work I had done, somewhere along the way, I realized that a part of me was missing. Finding My Way Home In March 2026, during a family trip to Chicago, we visited the Art Institute of Chicago. I wasn't expecting anything particularly life-changing that day. I was simply excited to wander through a museum filled with beautiful artwork. But standing among those paintings, something happened. I became emotional. Really emotional. It was as though I had stumbled upon a part of myself I hadn't seen in years. The colors, the textures, the brushstrokes, the stories—they all felt familiar. And for the first time in a very long time, I felt like I had found my way home. That experience helped me recognize something I could no longer ignore: I needed art back in my life. So I made a change. I stepped away from the career I had spent years building, transformed a small outdoor storage room into my own little art studio, and picked up a paintbrush again. I had no idea exactly where this new chapter would lead. I still don't. And surprisingly, I'm okay with that. The Art of Feeling Today, my artwork is an exploration of emotion, nature, connection, and the extraordinary beauty tucked inside ordinary life. I paint with acrylics, often using bold colors, expressive brushstrokes, layers, and movement. My work moves between abstraction, impressionism, expressionism, and a little whimsy, because I've never been particularly good at staying inside one box. Sometimes I paint flowers because they make me happy. Sometimes I paint trees because they remind me of strength, change, and belonging. Sometimes I paint abstract shapes because there are thoughts and feelings I simply cannot put into words. And sometimes, I just start painting and see where the colors take me. Art gives me permission to slow down, to be curious, to feel deeply, and to appreciate the world around me. It reminds me that beauty doesn't have to be perfect, that emotions don't always need explanations, and that there is something wonderful about allowing ourselves to simply create. A Little Piece of Me, Shared With You I don't create art because I believe I'm making the greatest painting the world has ever seen. I create because I have something inside me that I want to share. Every painting holds a little piece of my story—a moment of my time, a feeling, a memory, a question, or simply a glimpse into the way my mind experiences the world. But here's what I love most about art: once I share it, the story is no longer mine alone. You may see something entirely different from what I intended. A painting that began in a moment of sadness might bring you joy. A simple flower might remind you of someone you love. An abstract painting might make you feel something you can't quite explain. And I think that's beautiful. Because art isn't only about what the artist creates. It's also about what the viewer discovers. Welcome to My Little Blue Art Studio This studio represents more than a new business or a second career. It's a new chapter. A homecoming. A reminder that we are never too old to rediscover ourselves, change direction, or pursue something that makes us feel alive. I'm an artist, a wife, a mother, a lifelong learner, a creative thinker, and a woman who is still figuring things out. I have learned that life doesn't always unfold the way we imagine. Sometimes our paths take unexpected turns. Sometimes we have to begin again. And sometimes, the most beautiful things grow out of the moments we never planned. My hope is that when you experience my artwork, you find something that makes you pause, smile, wonder, remember, or simply feel. Maybe you'll see a piece of my story. Maybe you'll discover a piece of your own. Either way, I'm so glad you're here. With gratitude and a little paint on my hands, Amanda Okech Founder & Artist, The Little Blue Art Studio Create. Inspire. Connect.