Mia Ackerson is completely self-taught. Though she truly began her art practice as a form of pain management, she had been making art all her life! Educated as a cosmetologist, she used her knowledge of color in hair to begin using watercolor naturally. Her particular appreciation for nature and her work on a children's bird book have led many of her illustrations to be that of birds. In addition to her wonderful watercolor pieces and drawings, Mia's time spent working on a horse farm and thus having access to horseshoes inspired her to take up welding and blacksmithing.