Becky Mutrux

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve loved creating all sorts of things. Whether it was sewing a rabbit out of scrap fabric, folding origami, or using the various art materials my parents gave me, I loved seeing the things in my mind take tangible form. I was in college before I began to realize my art was something that might be more than a hobby, but when I took my first art classes at UMKC, I knew that these were my people.

Teaching, on the other hand, was something I never dreamed about growing up. Of all the things I played at as a child, teacher was never among them, and nobody was as shocked as I was when I was asked to teach classes in my church’s women’s organization and I realized I actually enjoyed it. And I’m lucky that I did – if it hadn’t been for my career as a teacher, I would have missed out on the chance to teach internationally, having so many amazing experiences and meeting such wonderful people.

As for those expat adventures, they began as a junior in college when I studied printmaking one semester in Venice. This was my first experience being immersed in a completely different culture and I loved becoming a part of that world. Even though it was a short time, I had my own routine: walking along the calles and over the Rialto, seeing the city come to life, stopping for my cioccolata or crema brioche and a San Benedetto aranciata at the same bakery before arriving at the printshop to work on my art. At the end of the month I was convinced this was the only way to see the world.

Education

University of Missouri – Kansas City: Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art, Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education.

University of Nebraska – Kearney: Master of Arts in Art Education

Minneapolis College of Art and Design: Master of Fine Arts in Visual Studies (anticipated May, 2026)