Local artist Mary Muller decided early on in her education at Principia College in Elsah, Ill., to pursue a major in art over physical education. She studied to be a portrait painter, but after graduating from college and moving to Des Moines, her career took a detour. She and her husband had five children in six and a half years, and she put art on hold temporarily to raise a family. In 1970, she picked up art again as a source for additional income, and since that time, she has immersed herself in painting and teaching art to adults, both from her home studio and as a long-time member of the Des Moines Art Center’s faculty. Though Muller keeps a full schedule, she decided in March 2004 to use her talents to help others by teaching weekly art classes at the Mitchellville Correctional Facility for Women. The works of her students are on display now through Dec. 1 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 600 6th Ave.

Did you always intend to study art?

When I went to college at Principia, a school for students of Christian Science, I was undecided between physical education and art. But soon after I started with art classes, I knew that’s what I wanted to do. I took painting classes and studied portraiture to become a portrait painter.

What was it about portraits that appealed to you?

I love form – the way the light reflects off a person’s head, the lines on their face and being able to study their features. It’s been said that eyes are the window to the soul, and I agree. I’ve found that you can never paint the same portrait twice. Each portrait is exciting and unique.

After taking a break from art to raise your children, what finally pulled you back into it?

I wanted to make some extra money for Christmas one year, and my sister suggested that we do an art show. I said, “That’d be great, but I haven’t been painting.” I got to thinking, and I realized that I had about 40 pieces stored at my parents’ house that I had made during college, so I took those and got them ready to sell. I ended up making more than enough money for that Christmas, and I decided I wanted to spend more time on art. I wanted more experience, so I signed up for lessons with Dimitar Krustev and Robert Brackman, Russian painters who were living here at the time.

How did you become established as a portrait painter?

In the 1970s, I would go out into local malls and festivals, set up an easel and a sign and I did portraits. It helped get my name out there. I also started teaching from my home at about that same time. My students and clients have been great supporters of me and helped me grow my business.

Who do you generally paint?

I’ve painted individuals such as Terry Branstad, various deans at Iowa State University and I’m currently working on painting the law department at Drake University.

What have you done more of over the years, painting or teaching?

I’ve always taught too much to fully immerse myself in painting. I love teaching, and unlike painting, it can be a good source of steady income. In 1978, the Des Moines Art Center asked me to join its faculty as a watercolor instructor. So I started painting in watercolors again, and I taught there for about 20 years. I now teach seven art classes a week, six from my home and one at the Mitchellville Correctional Facility.

How did you get involved as a volunteer instructor at the correctional facility?

I was looking for a place where I could make a difference through my talents, and I have several students who volunteer at the prison and told me about their positive experiences. I found out that many women often come back to the prison after serving a term because they go out into the world and make the same mistakes again. I think that’s because many of them lack feelings of self-worth and job skills. I thought that by reaching people who had an interest in art, that by helping them develop their skills, they would have something they could use to potentially earn a living, along with something they could use to bring joy to themselves and others.

Has painting helped you through difficult times in your life?

I’ve lived such a charmed life. I had parents who nurtured me and a husband who was faithful and loving until the day he died, so I wouldn’t say that painting has been an outlet for problems in my life.

Did you have any concerns then that you would have difficulty relating to the students at the prison?

No, because I believe that inside, we’re all the same. We’ve all made mistakes in our lives.

Has anything surprised you about the women you’ve met through this setting?

They all love creating art and are extremely grateful to me for the time I spend with them. They tell me that it’s the only time during the week that they feel like they’re not in prison.

Why is it meaningful to you that they feel this way?

I figure that the reason they are in prison is because they’ve all been in an inner prison of some kind in their lives – maybe because of drug problems or bad relationships – and that’s why they made the mistakes they did. My objective is to help them out of that inner prison and to help them express themselves and build on their strengths so that they don’t fall back into the same patterns later on.