RIVERVIEW - Maryanne Freeman spent many years as a military wife and doting mother of three.
Never did she imagine she would spend her later years as an award-winning artist in the local circuit.
To keep her children entertained during her husband's deployments with the U.S. Navy, she would occupy her children by creating art, some that she would now call amateur.
"I entertained my children with pictures using crayons, drawing stick men and suns with sticks for rays," Freeman said. "During my husband's enlistment in the military we moved 38 times."
To subsidize the 5,000 in prize money after the juried art show.
Freeman, as cliche as it may sound, is just excited to participate.
"I'm led into things because my passion is so great for life. I embrace whatever falls into my path and it turns out to be a passion. Life is so great in the sense that we are offered choices every day and whether it's the good, the bad, the wonderful, the great. It's all part of life and wonderful."
Contact Kelsey Sunderland at hillsnews@tampabay.com.