Desra and Duane Harrington have been married for over 13 years, but they have known each other for over 22 years. They both had difficult childhoods. Duane was bounced from one living situation to another and in and out of foster homes. Desra struggled with Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) as well as a challenging marriage for 18 years before meeting Duane.
After years of trauma and abuse, Desra sought help at the age of 48. She was facing a mental brick wall and struggling to find purpose in her life. Through counseling, she discovered that she could draw and paint. Art became a way for her to heal and process her emotions.
Soon after, Desra started going to church and was baptized. She developed a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. When COVID-19 hit in 2020, Desra and Duane lost family members and Duane fought for his life. This experience made them even more resilient and strengthened their faith.
Desra quit her art for a while to get her Bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Health Sciences online. After graduating, she started working part-time as a behavioral therapist with children who have autism. Duane also helps in the community by volunteering at a local food bank.
Desra and Duane are both passionate about helping others. They believe that art can be a powerful tool for healing. Their tag line is “Be Artfully Happy.” They believe that art can enrich the deeper parts of your being and that healing is a byproduct of this process. This is how they came up with the name for their business, “Artfully Happy: The Art of Healing.”
If you are interested in learning more about Artfully Happy, please visit their website or contact them at
[email protected]
