Artist, Author Inspires Skiatook Students

Chris Howell, NewsOn6.com

SKIATOOK, OK -- Local artist and author Kim Doner visited Skiatook students this week to inspire them to be more creative.

Doner said, "Just listen to your own voice.  The more you do that the more you allow it to emerge.  A lot of us as we get older start trying to stop that and repress it and shove it away and discount that.  My gosh, I'm with kids all the time, I'm no longer aging, I'm younging!"

Besides her creativity with the English language, Ms. Doner is a prolific artist and has authored and illustrated several books including On a Road in Africa and Buffalo Dreams.

Teacher Jennifer Hoey is happy to be able to bring Kim to Skiatook.

"I found her after going through several conferences," Jennifer said, "and I wrote a grant to the Skiatook Public Schools Support Foundation, and they gave that grant to our school, several other teachers helped me, and we were able to have her come to our school to present."

Doner credits never losing sight of her ‘inner child' for much of her creativity.

"I never had to look for my ‘inner child' because I never lost her," the artist mused, "so when I go talk to children I tell them to keep their dreams alive."