Getting to Know You

Jenni Sturgis
Mar 29, 2021
3 min read

Name and any story behind how you got it…

My name is Elizabeth Ann. The Elizabeth came from my mom’s maternal grandmother, Elizabeth Hopkins. She and her family traveled by covered wagon to southwest Oklahoma from Texas in the late 1800s. The family bestowed her with the name “Elizabeth” when she died, but in our family genealogy research, she is only known by “Lizza.” When I was a kid, I was known as “Beth Ann.” Some of my cousins still call me that.

Birthday

My birthday is on April 4th. On my 8th birthday, my brother, Thomas, was born. He was the best present I ever got.

Your family…

I grew up in Oklahoma. I’m the oldest of three. I have two younger brothers. My dad’s mother was a music teacher, so I was started in piano lessons when I reached first grade. That grandmother and my dad both took up painting in their adult lives and we have pieces of their art here in our house.

Art & Soul

I have been an Art & Soul member since 2017. I joined so that I could see Jenni more often. 

A favorite Art & Soul memory?

I think my favorite memory is Arunima Orr’s art show and event in 2017. This event celebrated 30 years of Art & Soul by celebrating our founder with a retrospective art show. If you’ve not seen it, be sure to watch the Nima’s artist talk. (https://www.artandsoulnashville.com/post/2018/01/20/arunima-orr-artist-talk)

Recent work?

I have been collaging pages from my most recent book. I’m using as the backgrounds, papers that I created in Lisa Binder’s altered paper class.

Collage with altered papers created in Lisa Binder's class at Art & Soul along with papers from my most recent book, Walking in the Wilderness

Last TV show you binge-watched?

I don’t believe in binging. If the show is that good, I’d rather have it stretch out a bit longer. But … the last series I completed was Robin Hood, produced by BBC and available on Amazon Prime.

Most recent read…

The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd

Guilty pleasure…

College football

Favorite vacation…

Two weeks in Ireland

Favorite food…

Mexican

Here are the keys to a time machine. Where are you going to first?

County Clare, Ireland in the 1800s. I would like to meet my Irish ancestors.

What makes you laugh?

Puppies.

What superpower would you like to have?

Flying!

How old were you when you had your first celebrity crush and who was it?

Julie Andrews. My grade-school crush continues today. When I was in 5th grade, I wrote a note to Julie Andrews. I said that if she ever was in Mangum, Oklahoma, she was invited to stay with us. I received in the mail a picture of Julie Andrews with the note, “Ms. Andrews appreciates your note.”