verri terri art

In college, an art instructor once told me I didn’t have what it takes to be an artist. Those words crushed me. I stopped believing in my talent and only sketched in quiet moments, when no one was watching.

But the truth is, I’ve been drawing since I was two years old.
My mother saw it.
My teachers saw it (even when I got detention for drawing in class).
And deep down, I always knew there was something sacred about putting pencil to paper.

I earned an art scholarship to Columbia College in Chicago, but the sting of that professor’s words followed me. So instead of pursuing art full-time, I pivoted. I built a thriving 24-hour childcare center and group home, earned my Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Ph.D. in Early Childhood Education, and served thousands of families over three decades.

Still, art never left me.

It simply found new ways to live through me.

Years later, everything shifted when I visited the gallery of the late, legendary artist Annie Lee. She met me at the door, walked me through her space, and shared her own story of rejection in the art world. Then she looked me in the eye and said:

“You have everything it takes to be a great artist.”

That moment wasn’t just encouragement — it was a calling rekindled.

From that day forward, I picked up my pencil again with new fire.

Today, Verri Terri Art, formally Terri Galleries, is my creative home — a space where bold color, street influence, and fearless self-expression collide.

My work lives across three powerful expressions:

Verri Terri Graffiti Bags
Hand-painted originals that turn functional fashion into wearable art.

Verri Terri Graffiti Lifestyle
Creative pieces that bring color, attitude, and identity into everyday life.

Verri Terri Fine Art
Gallery-style works that explore emotion, culture, and the human experience.

My art is:

• Expressive.
• Emotional.
• Personal
• Public

Each piece carries a story.
Each stroke carries intention.

Through my nonprofit work, I also merge art with healing — creating spaces where women navigating illness, trauma, and transformation can reclaim their voices through creativity.

My projects are rooted in storytelling, resilience, and restoration.

They don’t just decorate walls — they speak to the human condition.

Everything I create is about reclamation:

• Reclaiming art.
• Reclaiming voice.
• Reclaiming self.

This isn’t just a comeback.
It’s a mission.

I’m here to honor the beauty of bold expression and create space for art that doesn’t ask for permission — it makes a statement.

Welcome to Verri Terri Art.
Where confidence meets color.
And creativity speaks loud.