Betsy Hudgens

Photographer

 

Betsy Hudgens was born in Littleton, has lived on the Western Slope, and currently resides in Fort Collins with her husband Jason and their three furry children. Her foray into photography began at photography camp when she was 12 years old. She still recalls the thrill of fumbling around her first dark room and learning her way around a manual 35mm camera.

After 25 years of experience, the mechanics of photography are second nature to Hudgens. Her enthusiasm for the craft, however, remains as novel as ever. That she has turned her passion project into a career is a testament to her dedication, artistry, and commitment to making the world a better place. It has been a nontraditional journey.

Hudgens holds an associate degree in aviation electronics, a bachelor’s degree in political science, and a master’s degree in business administration. Her careers have included air phone installation for American Airlines, internal investigator, and running her own financial services business, where she spent more than seven years helping families develop plans to become financially independent. She founded the nonprofit organization World Orphan Connection that has served hundreds of orphans in Sierra Leone, Uganda, and Somalia, with more projects on the horizon.

Throughout, Hudgens pursued photography as a side passion. That all changed in the summer of 2012, when a volunteer shoot for a friend who works with local foster children opened her eyes to the needs of orphans in her own backyard. She and her husband now actively work with foster youth in our community. Hudgens has committed herself fully to the cause and has shifted to a career that allows flexibility and provides an outlet for her creativity and business acumen – her first love, photography.

To learn more about our featured artists, please visit Betsy’s website- BetsyHudgensPhotography.com

Betsy’s Facebook Page- https://www.facebook.com/BetsyHudgensPhotography?fref=ts

 

 

 

I am Kwa Franklin Ghong, a native of Cameroon, but now I am living in Fort Collins, Colorado with my family. As a painter, I use art as a form of therapy. I paint to tell a story, to project a perspective of community and share an emotion with the viewer. My original inspiration to paint came from watching the people of my community paint the homes in the village. As a young child I diluted different types of clay with water to create my color palette. When I paint it’s like I take a trip to my home, I pick up my brush and it brings me closer to Cameroon.

Artist’s Website:  www.kwaart.com

Artist’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GlobalVillageMuseum#!/kwa.franklin?fref=ts