Ivy Graham is an artist who has had the good fortune to be able to make a living with her hands for her entire career. After twenty years running a professional drapery workroom, Ivy returned to the University of North Carolina, Greensboro to obtain her teaching license in Art Education. She has been teaching art since 2017. Born and raised in the inspiring mountain region west of Asheville, North Carolina, Ivy returned to her mountain roots in 2021 and makes her home in Henderson County. Her first love is painting in oil on canvas. One of her favorite activities is hiking with her watercolors and taking a break to paint the vistas and waterfalls she feels so lucky to be surrounded by. She loves to paint from the live model, from still life’s arranged from the garden, and en plein air. This adds a freshness and immediacy to her otherwise realistic approach to painting.
Ivy has a rare combination of artistic talent and professionalism that her loyal clients have come to rely on. From beautifully rendered traditional portraits, to custom greeting cards, she helps make their vision a reality. Her works of art hang in private homes, businesses and gift shops throughout the state and her varied client list has included interior designers, furniture manufacturers, and a local township.
Moderating a figure drawing group for the Center for Visual Artists in Greensboro, weekly portrait painting with award winning painter Tom Edgerton, and doing live demonstrations for her students has helped Ivy to continue to expand and refine her skills as an artist. She lives and paints in a creative home with her musician husband and her rock climbing teenage son.