Ashley Garrison in Interim Class. Download a high-resolution version

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- After nearly 30 years as a successful interior design consultant in Tuscaloosa, one would think Ashley Garrison would not have anything else to learn. But after speaking to a University of Alabama student group, she seized an opportunity to return to the classroom to learn about the art of hand-drawn interior rendering.

Garrison, owner of Ashley Garrison Interiors, recently completed the “Watercolor, Colored Pencil and Perspective Drawing” course during UA’s three-week Interim session.

“Last spring when I spoke to some of the interior design majors at UA, they kept going on about how they wished they had mastered some of the skills I had and I told them that most of them could do rendering by hand, which I couldn’t,” said Garrison.

After her talk, Beverly Kissinger, UA professor of interior design, told her about her Interim course, and Garrison immediately said yes to going back to school.

“My approach has been there is always something new to learn and to never assume you’ve completed your education,” said Garrison.

“This course and the experience with the other students have been great. I’m now looking for more courses to take because I loved the creative energy shared and being on the UA campus again,” said Garrison.

Garrison’s work has been featured in Southern Living Magazine numerous times and she is an allied member of A.S.I.D., a professional interior design organization.

For more information on UA’s interior design program, go to http://www.ches.ua.edu/academicprograms/undergrad/ctid/index.htm