Dr. Mary McCulley

Dr. McCulley was my professor for my world lit & composition classes during my freshman year. She has been such an inspiration & role model to me. She has pushed me to dig deeper & write with more finesse. I love the way she teaches & what she teaches & thought that everyone needs to learn from her. Today she comes with an important message: live with eternity in mind. Let everything you do be done with heavenly intentions. Even if you don't believe in the infinite, it's a good idea to have the rest of your life in mind in whatever you do.

What inspired you to create your own brand?

Even though I don’t have my own brand, I’ve been considering opening my own Etsy store to sell my paintings and prints. I feel that every person is multifaceted and can embrace opportunities of expression outside of their career or livelihood. I never wanted to become a professional artist, but I enjoy sharing beauty with others, and I believe sharing painting is a fun outlet to do so.

What message are you trying to put out into the world with what you create?

As I’ve thought about possible names for my potential business, I keep coming around to the idea of hope. I painted a boat for a friend once. With small white strokes, I christened the boat “Hope.” Little did I know that my friend would soon be diagnosed with several types of cancer. She is still fighting and for a couple of years while battling her disease, she still opened the doors of her home to welcome guests every Wednesday evening. She hung the painting on her walls and always drew people’s attention to the boat’s name—Hope. She said she always smiled when she looked up at it. Perhaps this little story reveals what I would like to convey with my paintings—we have an eternal hope which is glorious. We also have hope here and now. We can rejoice and give thanks for a God who provides beauty and love and shares that with us through His creativity, even though it may be speckled with sorrows for a time.

What do you tell yourself when you’re stuck in a rut?

I return to one of my favorite verses—that God is ABLE to do EXCEEDINGLY abundantly beyond all that we could ask or think. I know that I am limited, but He is not. If he has placed limits and boundaries on my life, He is simply asking me to turn to him in faith. I don’t say this to be cliché either; there are many times when I wonder if I’ll ever beat the daily grind or do anything significant with my life. I have to battle these thoughts and feelings with the truth that I believe. I journal as often as possible so that I can go back and remember all the pure pleasures the Lord has been gracious to give.

What advice do you have for girls who are starting out?

Don’t put all of your identity into what you can do in your own strength and how much recognition you get. Treasure the outpouring of your gifts that may not be recognized or praised. Your Heavenly Father sees these and smiles and will reward you. Be humble about your progress. Yes, aim

high and be diligent to achieve excellence, but don’t let it go to your head or be jealous if someone else with the same talents is receiving more praise than you are.

Why is it important for girls to find their own voice and share it with the world?

Each woman is uniquely designed by God to fulfill a specific purpose, one that no other woman could ever fulfill. He has pieced you together with his mastery, seeing the masterpiece that you may not see yet. I think that every woman has a responsibility to share and express this beauty with others in her own unique way. You will know other great men and women by those who listen to you speak.