Once in a blue moon, a seemingly unremarkable incident can lead to a completely new path in life. For Cynthia Bloom, owner of Cynthia Bloom Collectible Jewelry, that moment came nine years ago when she was invited by a friend to place a few items in an upcoming antique sale.

Confidence—it’s the spirit that radiates from Teresa Elliott’s personality and her artwork. It’s also a trait that manifested itself early in her life. “One day in kindergarten, we were each asked to draw a bird,” she recalls. “My drawing amazed everyone, including me. Even though I was very young, I knew right then, deep down, that I would become an artist.”

Today, that same self-assurance, combined with well-honed talent, is ideally suited to her current subject of choice—the Texas Longhorn. Elliott’s bold interpretations of this rare breed have won applause from collectors and art critics alike, and her paintings hang in corporate offices as well as the homes of celebrities. Baseball legend Nolan Ryan and singer Toni Tennille (of The Captain and Tennille) are among recent collectors of her work. “Men and women seem to love the Longhorns equally,” Elliott says. Her work has also been displayed in prestigious venues, such as the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame, the Briscoe Western Museum, and the Coors Western Art Exhibit.

Few of us would find one self-development workshop life changing. For artist Derenda Keating, however, it was just such an event that altered the course of her life. In 1992, as a field executive for an insurance company, she participated in one where participants were asked to write down three things they would most like to change about themselves.

“Animals are like people,” says , “in that no two are alike.” 
He insists, for example, that while two whitetail deer grazing together in a field may appear to be nearly identical, close observation highlights subtle differences— not only in their physical characteristics, but also in their personalities. “One might have a different tilt to its nose, perhaps a longer ear or a different glint in its eye,” he notes. 

Such observations set Grimm’s work as a wildlife artist apart. “I realized early on that if I wanted to paint wildlife, I would need to paint landscapes, because they go hand in hand,” he says. “So I found myself becoming increasingly interested in the animal’s relationship with its environment. What I have learned is that wildlife is the final complement to the landscape.” Grimm’s ability to convey the harmonious relationship between the animals and their environment gives viewers of his work the sense of a real wildlife encounter.