Phyllis Grindstaff doesn’t have a fancy studio..and that’s just fine with her.

“I set my stuff up and paint and then I clean up and put it up until the next time”, she says.

Her kitchen/dining room is her makeshift studio.

“It has to be”, laughs Phyllis.

Like some of her finest florals, Phyllis was a late bloomer.

“I didn’t start painting until I was 40 years old and didn’t even have the desire”, she says.

The desire came when she decided to take an art class taught by Urban Bird..who said she was a natural.

“I can’t explain it except it’s a gift”, continues Phyllis. “It’s a God given gift, it’s a talent that God gives people and I went for 40 years and didn’t know I had it”.

Now, she’s hooked.

“Oh it’s just, yeah, it’s a passion I have to do it”, Phyllis says. “I look at things and think oh, I’d like to paint that”.

Working wonders with watercolors and oils, she brushes up on a certain style.

“I paint everything I’m a realist”, she says.

She’s painted a plethora of portraits..one of her Mother and Father started it all. She’s even done a self portrait..but she says painting animals is her favorite.

“I love chickens so I love my white leghorn rooster”, says Phyllis. “And I like my cats”.

Phyllis’ fine art has won a bevy of blue ribbons. She has 11 of them to date.

“My art teacher told me, when you paint you’ll never look at anything the same way again”, she says. “And you don’t”.

And as Phyllis looks to continue to color the world around her, she knows why she loves it so.

“Bringing joy to people”, she says with a tear in her eye. “They enjoy my work and they look at it and yeah, try to bring a little joy and beauty into the world and use the talent God gave me. As long as I can, I want to. It gives you a reason to get up in the morning and you know, it brings you joy”.

For more information about Phyllis Grindstaff’s Art go to her website at http://www.tennessee-art.com