Claudia Rohling, L.C.S.W. is an artist, illustrator, and therapist whose work is sold throughout the United States and Canadian international gift markets. Her work has been featured on the covers of Leisure Arts: The Magazine and Celebrations and on materials produced by The National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse. Claudia is the owner of Rohling Studios, where she oversees production, distribution, and creative development of her work as prints and greeting cards.

Her children's books Just Because I Am and We Can Get Along published by Free Spirit Publishing Inc., have won numerous awards. She is a therapist at Lakeside Family Service of Racine, WI. and owner of The Turning Point speaking and consulting service, which offers training, workshops, and seminars on a variety of topics including parenting and self-esteem for children, creativity, change as a creative challenge, stress management and many others. She has been a speaker for local, regional, state, and national conferences. For fee agreements and other information she can be emailed. She lives outside Racine, WI.  with her two dogs, Rosie and Gus.    

Artist Statement

My father ran an office supply and printing company. The endless possibilities of pens, papers, paints and inks captivated my imagination for as long as I can remember. It was a place of great wonder. I walked the aisles, touching the crayons and paint tubes, dreaming about all the creative possibilities. The smell of newly printed ink on paper and the sound of the printing presses always lured me to the back rooms where the printers did their work. I loved watching the images magically appear with each pass of the press arm. I learned to love the power of images, color and pattern. I always knew I wanted to create art.

About twelve years ago I took a trip out West. The rocks, canyons and caves held the images that Native American Indians created centuries ago. These Petroglyphs tell the ageless stories of their spirit and truths and have been passed to us through time. It moved me deeply that these simple images were a part of their everyday life stories. Today we create images on subway walls, streets, fences, magazines and books. There are images everywhere we look. We still strive to tell our stories through art. In our cities we may call it graffiti, advertisement, or decoration. In our museums we call them paintings, sculpture or jewelry. In our souls we call it art. Art is story telling. Art is a process. In my art I have tried to tell my stories by linking the images of the past and the present. I have also used my art to try to help all creatures great and small. My pet portraits began when my family was fostering dogs that needed homes. Jimmie, a boxer, touched all of our hearts and his portraits were the first done for the purpose of helping a local shelter raise money. I enjoy doing the pet art because a portion of these sales go to saving animals and helping them to find homes. I thank you for sharing in that process.

Sincerely,

Claudia Rohling