Dottie Mueller

Personal:

What started as a passion as a child has turned into a fulfilling career and rewarding experience spreading the joy and knowledge of art. Dottie was born and raised in the Romeoville, Illinois area. She raised three children who are all grown now. She enjoys her art as well as her religion, which she has combined in becoming a religious artist

Dottie also enjoys working with watercolor and painting pet portraits. She enjoys teaching the adult painting classes and has a special love for teaching kids. She is beginning her 25th year of teaching art. Currently she has 80 students enrolled in her Jr. Art League at Makery Studio in Plainfield, IL.

Dottie was first hired by the Sacred Heart Franciscan Friars in 2008. Since then Dottie has done many commissioned pieces including large wall murals for the Poor Clares in Omaha, NE, painted panels and sculptures for the friars of the Lady of Guadalupe Province in Albuquerque, NM, helping with fundraisers by painting images of the parish church for Holy Name in Cickhaska, OK, designing stain glass windows for St. Leo University in St. Leo, FL, and painting a tabernacle for Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee, WI.

She tries to give back to her community. She and her students help out for events for CASA of Joliet, and hold monthly painting/drawing sessions at Senior Star in Romeoville. She hosts paint parties out of her studio in the summer time which benefits such organizations as Will County Humane Society, and HUGS ( a local organization “Helping You Get Started”)

Education/Teaching:

After receiving her Bachelor of Art degree from Illinois State University Dottie began her career. From 1990 to 1994 Dottie began teaching art classes for the Joliet Park District and Joliet Junior Youth College, while also teaching at Larson’s Palette and Frame. It was during that time that Dottie’s Jr. Art League classes began, planting the seed for the future Dottie’s Art Studio. From 1998 to 2008 Dottie spent time as a substitute in the Minooka School District. It was in 2006 while continuing to be an Adjunct Art Teacher for Joliet Junior College in their youth college program that Dottie’s Jr. Art League was re-started. Since then the Art League has grown from classes in her basement to Dottie’s Art Studio combining art classes for both children and adults with her other passions- water color portraits and fine art works of faith.