It started with a craft show and has evolved into a career of teaching decorative art for Amy Joanne Mogish of Hometown.

Along the way, she herself evolved from a shy, timid student to a confidant, self-assured woman who loves to share her passion for art.

While browsing the stalls at craft shows in the early 1990s, Mogish saw several crafts she liked, thinking, “I could make that myself.” That led to an art class at Lehigh Carbon Community College in Schnecksville.

One class and she was hooked.

For the next 25 years, Mogish attended classes throughout the country, honing her skills and meeting new people.

“The classes took me down many different roads, both literally and in the decorative art field. I went to different chapters and leagues, making lots of new friends,” she remembers.

But it was her friends and fellow artists at the Penn’s Woods Painters chapter of the Society for Decorative Painters in Harrisburg who gave her the confidence to advance from perennial student to teacher.

“They encouraged me to create my own designs and share them with other artists,” says Mogish.

Since then, she has created hundreds of designs used by leagues and chapters throughout the country. Her designs can be found in several decorative art magazines and she co-authored two books of designs along with fellow artist Jane Allen.

It was the opening of the Tamaqua Community Art Center six years ago that led to her bringing her craft back home.

Decorative art is concerned with creating items that are not only beautiful but useful. It takes the “fine arts,” such as painting and drawing, and turns the end results into functional pieces rather than just something to be viewed. It is considered to be the most teachable of art forms.

When Mogish started teaching classes at the Tamaqua art center, it was under her pen name, “The Pencilin Peddler.” Classes then expanded into acrylic paints and now include the popular chalk and chew classes.

The chalk classes were created as a way for budding artists to create something personal within a two-hour class time frame, as the other art styles may take several sessions to complete.

Currently, Mogish averages three classes a month at the center, but also teaches classes every Tuesday in her home studio for those who are able to commit more time to a project. She also provides private lessons and recently had the opportunity to do something totally new — an art class for a bridal party instead of the traditional bachelorette party.

While Mogish provides the pattern and materials, every design can be personalized through the use of color and wording. Class sizes are small in order for her to give each “student” personalized attention.

Mogish says she couldn’t do this without the support of her husband, Jerry, who helps out in many ways, from putting the finishing touches on the wood she uses, to carting her supplies hither and yon.

Sharing her love of art is not something she had planned.

“Teaching art classes is the last thing in the world I ever thought I’d be doing. I’ve always been an introvert, but it looks like God had other plans for me. Now, I love sharing this passion with others. It’s great to see people come back to another class, but having new people come to class means word is getting out, and I’m doing something right,” Mogish says.

“I’ve met so many wonderful people, with many becoming longtime friends. I want people to learn to love art as much as I do and make those connections for life.”

Mogish has a series of classes scheduled at the art center in September, October and November. For more information, email her at classicamyjoanne@gmail.com or visit the art center’s website or Facebook page.

While Mogish says the “Magic is in the paint brushes,” her students know the magic is in Amy.