Working From The H’Art

Story By Emery Lay Photos Contributed By Pam Coxwell

For Pam Coxwell, using art as a creative outlet had always been a part of her life. It was not until more than two decades ago that Coxwell realized she could make a career out of her love for art.

“From the Heart Art” is now Coxwell’s full-time job and has been since its inception 15 years ago. While Coxwell attempted a brick-and-mortar store a couple of times, she said the art shop worked best as a website.

Through “From the Heart Art,” Coxwell travels to sell her work at various art shows. She recently participated in the Christmas Village in Birmingham, which spanned from Nov. 1 through 6.

Today, Coxwell teaches art classes, sells her art to admirers and even works with stores such as Kirkland’s and Hobby Lobby. However, she said she may not have believed you if 30 years ago you told her this is where she would be now.

Originally, Coxwell started out as a cosmetologist. After marrying her Beauregard High School sweetheart, Terry, Coxwell tried her hand at hair for a year.

“I enjoyed doing hair [and] learning how to do it,” Coxwell said. “I just didn’t enjoy doing it every day.”

For the next 10 years, Coxwell transitioned into ministry, working at Trinity Presbyterian Church and Youth for Christ. Yet, her crafts never left her side.

“I ended up doing several things, but always did … something creative on the side,” Coxwell said. “I really don’t remember a time where I did not have some sort of craft, supply … something creative going on, no matter what season of life that I was in.”

This included her pregnancy with her youngest daughter, in 1990, in which Coxwell was confined to bed rest — or, rather, couch rest.

“My sister and my mother — to help preserve my sanity and everybody else’s — set the couch up with TV tables all the way around, with all kinds of paints and all kinds of supplies, so that I could do that,” Coxwell said. “And it was during that time that I crossed paths with some ladies in Opelika who had a business called S.L.K. Jewelry.”

Before she knew it, Coxwell was painting papers for their business. Her sister would pick up the papers and beads, bring them to the couch and return Coxwell’s finished work.

After her daughter was born, Coxwell kept painting cards so that she could stay at home with her newborn.

“I did it for a while,” Coxwell said. “But about the time that door was closing, my husband’s aunt was about to open a craft store right outside of Opelika called The Sawmiller’s Daughter,

and she talked me into painting some stuff to put in their store. And I think that’s [when] I saw that people would buy something that I made.”

Around 1995, the Coxwell family was working to send their two daughters to Trinity and needed to raise the tuition. It was during that time that Coxwell found the courage to make art her true profession after selling her work at the Syrup Soppin’ Festival in Loachapoka.

“It was a blessing to my family,” Coxwell said. “I could stay home, take care of them and do something I enjoy to help pay for their tuition to go to school there.”

For a while, Coxwell continued to work part-time jobs in ministry as she built her repertoire and to enjoy school holidays with her children. It was not until 2007 that Coxwell had the opportunity to jump into the deep end.

Thus, From the Heart Art was born.

“It took me a long time to have enough confidence to be able to even say that it’s a business,” Coxwell said. “I’ve always been kind of reluctant, I guess, to start out.”

Now, From the Heart Art has an official online presence where the business sells both resale and wholesale art across the country. Coxwell’s work is created and sold in a metal warehouse located beside her house in Opelika, which she has worked out of for the past four years.

Born in Dothan, Alabama, Coxwell spent most of her childhood summers at her grandparent’s farm in Hartford.

“In the past few years, I’ve started incorporating some of the memories … from summers spent on their farm into my artwork,” Coxwell said.

In fact, incorporating memories into her work has created some of Coxwell’s favorite pieces. One in particular came about over five years ago.

“My brother-in-law was really sick with cancer,” Coxwell said. “I had to have some artwork turned in and I didn’t really have time to do it.”

On the cusp of a deadline, Coxwell began painting a church — a small, white one like the one her grandfather used to take her to in the country.

“My brother-in-law was a grandfather,” Coxwell said. “I don’t know, it was just bothering me. … It was just very emotional. So, I did that church in honor of both of them.”

To this day, Coxwell said that piece has remained one of her bestsellers. In fact, at one point, it had been licensed for and sold at Hobby Lobby for several years.

“It was a way of me processing what was happening in my life,” Coxwell said. “I think the majority of my artwork is that: just processing life, and it comes out on paper. I think that’s one of the most precious designs because of that.”

A primary source of inspiration for Coxwell is the Bible. She said her artwork is “faith-based” and is influenced by the sermons she hears and the studies she is in.

As a self-professed visual learner, Coxwell said she would often draw out Bible verses in order to commit them to memory. Eventually, she began incorporating Bible verses into her art pieces, writing the words around the original design.

“It felt like it was burned on my heart that that’s how I needed to do it,” Coxwell said. “I learned that if I made the artwork, it was what would draw [people] into the booth to read the words. I saw how it was a tool to get people into my booth to look closer and read the verse, whether they bought it or not.”

Oftentimes, Coxwell said she could hear them reading the

verses under their breath. Other times, Coxwell saw onlookers in tears after reading a verse that spoke with their situation.

“I know that it’s bigger than me,” Coxwell said. “It’s just a tool and how the Lord uses my hands.”

Though she did not originally begin by including verses in her art, Coxwell said she finds it hard now to send out a piece without including one.

As the new year approaches, Coxwell said that she hopes to be able to focus more on the workshops that she began in October.

During the first week of every month, Coxwell sends out recorded tutorials for the members signed up for her class. Then, the group meets virtually later in the month to discuss their completed work and get feedback from Coxwell herself.

A waitlist is open now on the website for both the Online Lettering Membership — $24 a month — and the Mixed Media Workshop — $34 a month — at www. fromtheheartart.com.

“I want to teach other women how to experience the joy that I’ve found in creativity,” Coxwell said. “And I feel like that’s my new season that I’m entering into.”

For more information, and to stay up to date on the latest From the Heart Art news, visit the company’s Facebook page at Reminders.FromtheHeart, or follow them on Instagram at PamCoxwellDesigns.