LINDA ETHERINGTON

Born in Washington State in 1969, I am the fourth of seven children. I grew up on a small 10-acre farm where my dad worked during the day as an engineer, but everyone helped on the farm. My mom taught me to paint. After years of watercolors, drawing pencils, oil pastels, and crayons, I received my first oil painting set when I was 12. It was beautiful—like shiny candy—but I was so confused what to do. So, mom and I painted. She showed me how to draw with my brush. It made sense to me. I am forever grateful to my mother.

My mom and dad were my biggest fans. I took classes at the local college with my mom when I was in high school. Then, I was off to Brigham Young University where I studied painting with an art scholarship and graduated in 1991 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting. Over those next 14 years my husband and I were blessed with 7 daughters and almost as many moves with my husband’s job. Our little girls filled my life with new color, new shapes, new spaces, and new brain challenges. All through it, I worked hard at being a mom; and, I worked hard when our neighbor came twice a week so I could sneak away and paint for 3 hours. It felt good holding onto my love of painting and my love of mothering.

Now my family is still growing. I have married daughters and grandchildren. I still love love love love to paint. Shapes and colors still call out to me; I sing back to them and I paint.