TEACHING & WORK RESUME
INTRODUCTION
For as long as I've been alive, art has been the thread running through everything I do. I started teaching professionally in 1995, and three decades later, I'm still as obsessed with art and creativity as I was on day one.
In 2008, I founded Dirty Footprints Studio online—long before teaching online was cool. Ten years later in 2018, it evolved into ConnieSolera.com.
Since 2010, I've been fully self-employed as an artist and teacher, after years of hustling through every art job imaginable—gallery assistant, costume artist, art history researcher, you name it.
Here's where that journey has taken me.
ONLINE PROGRAMS & PROJECTS
2022 - 2025 | Paint Wisdom Mentorship
Three months online mentoring immersion.
2023 - 2025 | B.O.W.
Eight months online immersive for mentorship alumna's only where they create a body of work that will be included in an virtual exhibition.
2020 - 2025 | Paint Wisdom Sessions
Zoom sessions focusing on a specific theme/concept related to the Artist Soul.
2025 | Into The Liminal
Six week online workshop on intuitive drawing with Sumi Ink.
2025 | Root & Release
A week long, online paint ritual to help artists root deeply into their Artist Soul and release resistance, fear, and self-doubt.
2025 | ELEVATE
Three months online workshop to strengthen your style, amplify your voice, and deepen your connection to your Artist Soul.
2025 | UNAPOLOGETIC
Seven-weeks masterclass on creating bold, experimental self-portraits.
2025 | ANCHOR
Three months online workshop on how to anchor into one's Artist Soul and deepen their painting practice.
2024 | Mystery Tour
Four months online experience where artists witness firsthand Connie Solera's "mystery tour" back to her old hometown of Cleveland, Ohio to create a body of work and she guides them to do their own "mystery tour" as well.
2024 | Into The Heart
Ten-weeks online workshop creating a body of work based on the heartspace and learning the Paint WIsdom framework for creating a body of work.
2024 | DISSOLVE
Six-weeks online workshop creating a body-of-work using watercolors and water-soluble crayons intuitively.
2023 | DISSOLVE
Six-weeks online workshop creating a body-of-work using watercolors and water-soluble crayons intuitively.
2023 | Daring & Brave
Six-weeks Zoom class exploring being more daring & brave in our creative practice.
2023 | SKETCH
Seven-weeks online workshop on the basics of sketching with watercolors and pens.
2022 | Winter Solstice Paint Wisdom Circle
Online live Zoom call
2022 | NOURISH
Three-weeks online workshop where we nourish the Artist Soul with a daily studio practice.
2022 | Breathing Room
Three-hours virtual Paint Wisdom Laboratory where we explore bringing more "breathing room" into our paintings by leaving white and open space.
2022 | Art Graf Love
Three-hours virtual Paint Wisdom Laboratory where we explore the Art Graf materials.
2022 | Skinny Mini's
Three-hours virtual Paint Wisdom Laboratory where we explore a "Skinny-Mini" substrate.
2022 | Monopalette
Online Yearlong Workshop co-taught with graduates of my IGNITE Teacher Training program.
2012 - 2021 | IGNITE Teacher Training
Six-months teacher training for artists.
2021 | Little Things
Online Self Paced Oil Pastel eCourse.
2021 | PLAY!
Mini-workshop on integrating play into a studio practice.
2021 | SMUDGE
Mini-workshop on intuitive drawing with soft pastels.
2013 - 2021 | Painting The Feminine
Four-weeks online workshop that ran for sixteen sessions straight every Spring and Fall. (Becoming a self-paced eCourse in late 2021.)
2020 | Night Vision
Intuitive drawing with soft pastels workshop that ran live in Spring 2020 and is now a self-paced eCourse.
2020 | Connie Bundle
Mixed-media, self-paced eCourse containing ten of my workshops from my former 21 SECRETS program.
2010 - 2020 | 21 SECRETS
The very first mixed-media online collective workshop of its kind. I published 20 editions spotlighting over 300 artists before retiring it in 2020.
2017 | Online emBODY Painting Challenge
21 days painting challenge and video series. Search #21emBODY on Instagram.
2017 | Paint Riot Video Series
A video series I co-created with Chris Zydel on intuitive painting.
2017 | New Moon Painting series
A video + painting collaboration with my husband Hansel Solera.
2016 | Art Journal Jam
Online art journal series co-hosted with Natasha Reilly.
2015 | Take A Peek
Video series on art journaling.
2014 - 2016 | 21 SECRETS Conversations
Online interview series with artists from my 21 SECRETS mixed-media program.
2014 | Art Journal Wisdom
Ten-days art journaling mini - workshop / blog series.
2014 | Creative Circles Guidebook
I transferred the content from my Creative Circles Workshop into a downloadable Guidebook.
2013 October | Gather, Retreat, Paint, & Repeat
Two-days, online FEARLESS® Painting retreat.
2013 July | Gather, Retreat, Paint, & Repeat
Two-days, online FEARLESS® Painting retreat.
2012- 2013 | Creative Circles Workshop
Online workshop on organizing and hosting Creative Circles.
2012 | Inner Breath
A monthly FEARLESS® Painting membership program for BIG and DEEP alumni.
2011 - 2013 | DEEP: A FEARLESS® Painting Adventure (Part 2)
Second of two online FEARLESS® Painting workshops that focus on my intuitive painting process.
2010 - 2013 | BIG: A FEARLESS® Painting Adventure (Part 1)
First of two online FEARLESS® Painting workshops that focus on my intuitive painting process.
2010 | 30 Journals / 30 Days
Online interview blog series highlighting 30 art journaling artists in 30 days.
2009 - 2018 | FEARLESS® Painting Video Series
Video series on FEARLESS® Painting.
2009 - 2010 | Total Alignment
Mini-workshop/ blog series on the basics of FEARLESS® Painting.
2009 - 2010 | Art Journal LOVE Letters
My very first online workshop. It was four weeks long and hosted on a private Blogger account. I ran it four times before retiring it.
2009 - 2010 | Creative Juicy Life
My very first podcast show hosted on Blogtalk Radio.
2009 - 2010 | Art Journal LOVE
Video series on art journaling.
2009 | Wreck This Journal series
Video series based on Keri Smith's Wreck This Journal.
2008 April | Started Blogging
Started blogging on DirtyFootprints-Studio.com (now ConnieSolera.com).
IN-PERSON WORKSHOPS, RETREATS, & CLASSES I TAUGHT
2025 October | Mysterious Faces, Peoria, Arizona
4 day workshop on painting faces that have meaning, depth, and magic
2025 July | Paint Wisdom TAOS, Taos, New Mexico
6-days painting intensive
2025 May | Paint Wisdom ITALY, Puglia, Italy
6-days painting intensive
2025 February | Paint Wisdom MEXICO, Oaxaca, Mexico
6-days painting intensive
2025 January | POETIC, Peoria, Arizona
4-days workshop on infusing more emotion, honesty, and "poetry" into one's art.
2024 October | Paint Wisdom MEXICO, Oaxaca, Mexico
6-days painting intensive
2024 April | Paint FEARLESS Sedona, Sedona, Arizona
5-days FEARLESS® Painting retreat
2024 January | Paint FEARLESS Mexico Patterns & Passion, Oaxaca, Mexico
7-days FEARLESS® Painting retreat
2023 September | Paint FEARLESS Mexico Patterns & Passion, Oaxaca, Mexico
7-days FEARLESS® Painting retreat
2023 May | Paint FEARLESS Sedona, Sedona, Arizona
5-days FEARLESS® Painting retreat
2022 October | Paint FEARLESS Mexico Patterns & Passion, Oaxaca, Mexico
7-days FEARLESS® Painting retreat
2022 September | Paint FEARLESS Mexico Mythos & Magic, Oaxaca, Mexico
7-days FEARLESS® Painting retreat
2022 May | Paint FEARLESS Sedona, Sedona, Arizona USA
5-days FEARLESS® Painting retreat
2022 April | Wonky-Tonky Faces, Peoria, Arizona
4-days workshop on making loose, dynamic faces
2021 October | Paint FEARLESS Mexico Alumna-ONLY, Oaxaca, Mexico
7-days FEARLESS® Painting retreat for alumna students only
2021 October | Paint FEARLESS Mexico, Oaxaca, Mexico
7-days FEARLESS® Painting retreat
2021 September | Paint FEARLESS Sedona, Sedona, Arizona USA
7-days FEARLESS® Painting retreat
2020 January | Paint FEARLESS® Mexico Alumna-Only, Oaxaca, Mexico
7-days FEARLESS® Painting retreat for alumna of Paint FEARLESS Mexico.
2019 November | Paint FEARLESS® Mexico, Oaxaca, Mexico
7-days FEARLESS® Painting retreat.
2019 May | Paint FEARLESS® Sedona, Sedona, Arizona
7-days FEARLESS® Painting retreat.
2019 March | Paint FEARLESS® Costa Rica, Nosara, Costa Rica
7-days FEARLESS® Painting retreat.
2019 January | Paint FEARLESS® Mexico, Oaxaca, Mexico
7-days FEARLESS® Painting retreat.
2018 Late November | Paint FEARLESS® Mexico, Oaxaca, Mexico
7-days FEARLESS® Painting retreat.
2018 Early November | Paint FEARLESS® Mexico, Oaxaca, Mexico
7-days FEARLESS® Painting retreat.
2018 February | Paint FEARLESS® Mexico, Oaxaca, Mexico
7-days FEARLESS® Painting retreat.
2017 Late November | Paint FEARLESS® Mexico, Oaxaca, Mexico
7-days FEARLESS® Painting retreat.
2017 Early November | Paint FEARLESS® Mexico, Oaxaca, Mexico
7-days FEARLESS® Painting retreat.
2017 August | IGNITE In-Person Immersion, Camano Island, Washington
7-days Immersion for IGNITE Teacher Training alumni.
2017 May | Paint Riot, Oakland, California
4-days retreat co-taught with Chris Zydel of Creative Juices Arts.
2016 September | IGNITE In-Person Immersion, Camano Island, Washington
7-days Immersion for IGNITE Teacher Training alumni.
2016 May | POETIC, West Palm Beach, Florida
1 day FEARLESS® Painting workshop.
2015 March | FEARLESS® Painting Circle, West Palm Beach, Florida
1 day FEARLESS® Painting workshop.
2014 July | Heart Opening, Tempe, Arizona
1 day art journaling and yoga nidra workshop co-taught with Opal Keen.
2013 September | Total Alignment, Sedona, Arizona
4-daysFEARLESS® Painting workshop.
2013 July | Creative Women's Circle, Cleveland, Ohio
1-day FEARLESS® Painting workshop by Lake Erie.
2013 May | IGNITE In-Person Immersion, Sedona, Arizona
7-days Immersion for IGNITE Teacher Training alumni.
2012 October | Total Alignment, Sedona, Arizona
4-days FEARLESS® Painting workshop.
2011 September | Total Alignment, Sedona, Arizona
4-days FEARLESS® Painting workshop.
2009 September | Creative Dig, Cleveland, Ohio
1 day art journaling, clay, & writing workshop co-taught with Andrea LeBlond and Christine Claire Reed.
2007 - 2010 | Full Time Elementary & Middle School Art Teacher, Surprise, Arizona
Taught art to grades K-8 | Dysart School District
2006 - 2007 | Full Time Elementary Art Teacher, Phoenix, Arizona
Taught art to grades K-3 | Cartwright School District
2006 February | Visiting Artist, Cobano, Costa Rica
Taught art to multi-ages | Escuela de Cobano
2004 | Part-Time Montessori Art Teacher, Broadview Heights, Ohio
Taught art to ages 3-6. | Children's Home Montessori
2003 October - December | Visiting Artist | Rocky River, Ohio
Taught art to grade 9-12. | Rocky River High School
2003 August - October | Visiting Artist | Westlake, Ohio
Taught art to grades K-8. | Saint Bernadette School
2003 January - April | Visiting Artist | Cleveland, Ohio
Taught art to grades 6-8. | Thomas Jefferson Middle School
2002 August - December | Guest Art History Teacher | Westlake, Ohio
Taught AP Art History | Magnificat High School
2002 - 2004 | Part-Time Art Instructor, Cleveland, Ohio
Taught art to adults with disabilities. | Art On Wheels
2000 - 2004 | Part-Time Art Educator, Akron, Ohio
Taught art to multi-ages. | Akron Art Museum.
2000 June-July | Art Teacher | Lyndhurst, Ohio
Taught art to grades 3-6. | Hawken Day Camp
1996 - 2006 | Part-Time Art Educator, Cleveland, Ohio
Taught art to multi-ages. | Cleveland Museum of Art
1995 - 1997 | Visiting Artist | Lakewood, Ohio
Taught art to grades 1-3. | Garfield Elementary
GUEST TEACHER / CONTRIBUTOR (ONLINE PROGRAM/ WORKSHOP)
2020 | Jeanne Oliver Network
Taught "Deep Conversations" mini-workshop in June 2020.
2020 | Get Messy Art Journaling Community hosted by Caylee Grey
Taught "Painting As Affirmation" mini-workshop in April 2020.
2019 | True Colors Art School hosted by Kellee Wynne
Taught "Tiny Sketchbooks" mini-workshop in November 2019.
2019 | Make Create Express hosted by Galia Alena
Taught "Talking To Trees" mini-workshop in June 2019.
2017 | Life Book hosted by Tam LaPorte
Taught " Shields of Light" mini-workshop in Week #36.
2016 | Give A Girl A Journal hosted by Jamie Ridler
Contributed my story on art journaling.
2015 | Inner Alchemy Cards hosted by Mindy Tsonas Choi
Contributed six cards and a mini-workshop.
2015 | Documented Life Project hosted by Art To The Fifth
Taught a mini-workshop on travel journaling.
2014 | SPECTRUM hosted by Hali Karla.
Taught "Move Your Body, Move Your Brush" mini-workshop.
2013 | Woman Is A River hosted by Pixie Lighthorse
Contributed an essay on my relationship to money as an artist.
2012 | Wish Big eCamp hosted by Mindy Tsonas Choi.
Taught "Let It Loose" mini-workshop on FEARLESS® Painting.
2012 | Life Book hosted by Tam LaPorte.
Taught a mini-workshop on art journaling.
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS / PANEL DISCUSSIONS
2023 July | Art, Healing, & Healing with Art | Hosted by Michelle Fauvreault of the 1st annual Paint FEARLESS® Exhibition | Online
Discussed the healing process created during the making of the Paint FEARLESS® Exhibition.
2023 June | First Annual Paint FEARLESS® Exhibition Online Opening
Discussed the BOW program and the process of creating this exhibition together.
2021 May | Scaling with Support Panel Discussion | Hosted by Quinn Tempest of Create Your Purpose Collective | Online
Spoke about the pros and cons of hiring a team as a creative entrepreneur.
2021 April | Promoting and Launching An Online Class Panel Discussion | Hosted by Betsy Cordes of the Art Brand Alliance | Online
Spoke about my experience teaching online since 2009.
2017 October | Art Journaling In Circle | Gather The Women Conference | Lyons, Colorado
Spoke about the basic techniques and considerations of bringing art journaling into a circle.
2010 October | How FEARLESS® Painting Helped Me Quit My Job | Joyfully Jobless Jamboree hosted by Barbara Winter | Austin, Texas
Spoke on how my painting practice gave me the courage to quit my job and become fully self-employed as an artist and teacher.
PUBLICATIONS
2022 November | Paint Wisdom Cards
My 52-Card deck!
2022 September | Painting The Feminine: An Art Journal
My book!!!
2021 November | Get Messy Art by Caylee Grey
Contributed a chapter on art journaling.
2021 June | Peps Le Magazine De La Parentalité Positive (French Publication)
Contributed the article: "Cultiver l’âme d’artiste de notre enfant" (Cultivating the Artist Soul In Children)
2018 October | Awakening Your Creative Soul by Sandra Duran Wilson
Contributed a chapter on intuitive painting.
2017 January | Find Your Style by Kristal Norton
Contributed a chapter on how to find your unique style as an artist.
2014 May | Pathfinder: A Creative Journal For Finding Your Way by Heather Plett
Contributed an essay on being a pathfinder as an artist.
2012 May | Sacred Pregnancy: A Loving Guide & Journal For Expectant Moms by Anni Daulter
Contributed an essay on pregnancy.
2011 May/June | Somerset Studio Magazine | Becoming Brave Issue
Contributed the article "FEARLESS I Paint".
2011 June | Regiving: The Gifts Of Kindness & Laughter by Amanda Oaks
Contributed an essay on the funniest experience of my life.
2011 March | Sophia Rises: Changing The World Through Feminine Wisdom by Heather Plett
Contributed an essay on Feminine Wisdom and painting.
PODCASTS / INTERVIEWS
2023 June | Art Talk with Connie Solera | Hosted by Visionary Art Path
2023 March | Love What You Love! Nurturing the Artist Soul with Connie Solera | Hosted by Elle Billing
2021 August | Inspired To Create: A Chat With Connie Solera | Hosted by Jennifer Steck
2020 May | Left Brain Artist Podcast Episode #159 Hosted by Suzanne Redmond
2020 April | Get Messy Podcast Episode #13 Hosted by Caylee Grey
2019 February | Purpose Driven Entrepreneur Series Hosted by Quinn Tempest
2018 October | Left Brain Artist Podcast Episode #45 Hosted by Suzanne Redmond
2017 October | Choosing From The Heart Hosted by Amy Maricle
2014 April | Creative Living With Jamie Hosted by Jamie Ridler
2014 March | Holistic Creative Chat Hosted by Hali Karla
WORK RELATED EXPERIENCE
2018 - present Founded Connie Solera, LLC and ConnieSolera.com
My online teaching business and studio.
2008 - 2018 Founded DirtyFootprints-Studio.com
My online teaching business and studio.
2006 - 2008 Founded Dirty Footprints Studio, LLC
My Ceramics and Pottery Business
2002 - 2003 Art History Research Assistant | Center For Sacred Landmarks,
Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio
Conducted research for the Sacred Landmarks Monograph Series.
1994 - 1998 Gallery Assistant & Volunteer Coordinator | SPACES Art Gallery, Cleveland, Ohio
Responsible for administrative, creative, and customer service.
1996 Art Handler | Museum Of Contemporary Art Cleveland, Cleveland, Ohio
Responsible for hanging and taking down shows.
1996 Artist Assistant | Joseph Kosuth | Cleveland, Ohio
I assisted Joseph Kosuth in the research and execution of his Urban Evidence piece at SPACES Art Gallery, Cleveland Museum of Art, and Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland.
COSTUME & WARDROBE ARTIST
2004 | MaDaCol Dance Company | Mather Dance Collective | Cleveland, Ohio
2001 - 2002 | Tony & Tina's Wedding | Hannah Theater | Cleveland, Ohio
2002 | Tom & Susana Evert Dance Theater | Cleveland, Ohio
1998 | Cleveland State University Theater | Cleveland, Ohio
PRESS
2013 February | Be A Free Range Human by Marianne Cantwell
Marianne Cantwell writes about my life as a "Free Range Human" in her book.
Education
2001 - 2003 | Multi-Age Visual Art Education Licensure
Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio
1997 - 2000 | Bachelors of Art in Painting and Art History
Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio
1994 - 1997 | Completed Artist Foundation Program + 1 Year of Painting Major
Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland, Ohio