How it all began . . .

As a child I always enjoyed creating and trying to make something out of nothing. I remember picking the old blooms off my mom's marigolds, pick out the seeds and make an envelope from construction paper, seal it with glue and label "Marigold Seeds," trying to make it look just like the package they were in when she bought them. Oh what fun! So, I guess those were the days when it all began.

After graduating from high school, I went to Auburn University and received a degree in elementary education with a minor concentration in art. I then began making a new home in Montgomery, Alabama, where I taught elementary school for a while until the big news that a baby would be arriving! Choosing to break from teaching and start a family was coincidentally when the art ball began to roll again. While preparing the nursery, I looked for some fun, cute and affordable art, but could not find anything. Therefore, I put a cloth over the dining room table, got out my watercolors and started painting!

After completing the paintings for my nursery, I continued to paint in "The Dining Room Studio." One thing led to another and I found an interest in painting ceramic tiles. Then it was other ceramic pieces, then hand-building with clay and other random projects in between. Now I needed a kiln of my very own! Within a few days and after a small loan from my parents (thank you!), I had my dad loading my very first kiln on his pick-up truck.

I hand-glazed each ceramic piece for about a year until I had finally saved up enough to buy a glazing machine and mixer. By the way, I was so excited about my purchase that I set up in my living room (not a good idea), when I turned it on, glaze went everywhere! Obviously, the art supplies and equipment were beginning to multiply.

It was time to find a new place to work. I found a small construction company to design and build a studio just for me, and all the art "stuff" in the backyard.

I worked in the newly built "back yard" studio for about two years with several dedicated helpers until we literally had no room to walk and some days could hardly get in the door. The art had grown once again and we desperately needed more working space.

After looking and searching for the perfect new place, I found the one! An older house with lots of charm, located in Montgomery's Garden District. Work began in our new location in May of 2003 and we loved every minute of it!

We now have combined our studio and shop into one location -- M.Bagwell Gallery, just around the corner from our home . We're in one of Montgomery's historic districts known as Cloverdale (http://www.oldcloverdale.org/), at 1038 East Fairview Avenue.

Many new and exciting things have taken place since the summer of 1998 when I decided to pull out the watercolors, to do a couple of paintings for my nursery. I had no idea what would evolve from that day. I had chosen to end my teaching career to be a stay-at-home mom; now here I am working more than ever! I don't think words can describe what a long, rewarding journey it has been!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my wonderful family and friends who have supported me through this whole artful endeavor. I am so grateful for each and every one. All of your interests, investments and ideas have helped the business to grow and have taken my art places that I never imagined it would go.

See our article featured in Southern Living Magazine!