with three children , working for an oil company . In her 40 ’ s she met her husband , Lance , a telecommunications director for the University of Houston , who also had three children . The couple together have a daughter , Audrey , who is now 9 . Looking for a change of pace and a new creative outlet , Whitney- Huebner decided she wanted to be a photographer . When she started her photography business , she said she knew virtually nothing about taking pictures . “ I saved , bought my camera and I got started ,” she said . She said she was 44 and seven months pregnant when she shot her first wedding .
She built up her business quickly and opened a photography studio on The Strand in Galveston and later her husband refurbished a 1925 house for another studio . Whitney-Huebner had two studios and a new baby .
Six years later , her work was published in magazines and she was in high-demand when she decided she wanted to slow things down .
“ It was a lot of stress , she said . “ I enjoyed it , the money was really good . But it got to a point where I was gone every single weekend . My husband worked every day during the week . I was never seeing my husband and there was not a lot of quality family time . One day , I was like , ‘ I can ’ t take one more wedding picture , I can ’ t do it .’ At 50 , I was like , ‘ I ’ m done .’ My husband , of course , was like , ‘ What ? You have two studios . You have all this equipment !’ I said , ‘ I ’ ll figure something else out .’ I have reinvented myself several times . I ’ ll do it again . I just have to do something else , although at the time , I didn ’ t know what it was that I wanted to do .”
That ’ s when she said she decided she would try her hand at making jewelry . After putting her daughter down for a nap , she pulled out a ‘ teach yourself how to make jewelry kit ’ from JTV she had under the bed and made her first piece . That box had been sitting under her bed for 25 years .
This was the birth of Art In Motion Jewelry & Metal Studio , LLC , and Whitney-Huebner ’ s handmade intricate pieces , using precious metals and natural gems . According to her website , her online gallery , she also smelts a few “ secret metals ” together to make her organic bronze .
“ Each one is usually unique ,” she said . “ So everything I make , I ’ m like , ‘ This is my favorite .’”
Inspired by nature , many of her pieces are reflections of flowers and other aspects of the outdoors she finds beautiful .
In an effort to slow down and get out of the hurried Houston hustle and bustle , the couple sold their house in Sante Fe , Texas and moved to Montgomery , just north of The Woodlands , but they didn ’ t stay there long .
“ It was too crowded ,” Whitney-Huebner said . “ That area was growing like crazy . We were on three-and-a-half acres and felt like our neighbors were on top of us .”
Looking for greener pastures and solitude , the couple found what they were looking for in Anderson County . After buying a large parcel of property , Whitney-Huebner decided to move her parents from Kerrville to Palestine and is moving her husband ’ s father here from Houston . They will all eventually have their own homes on this one property .
Not finding something to rent in town while they wait for their new home to be built , the couple purchased a home on Inwood . They are also refurbishing that home .
Embracing country life , the family has begun clearing their property . They have a garden , chickens and Whitney-Huebner has been canning .
“ When I ’ m not doing something artistic , I ’ m always , outside and
dirty ,” Whitney-Huebner said .
Photography and jewelry are not her only talents , in fact , Whitney- Huebner enjoys many artistic outlets and has embraced the life of being a full-time artist .
She is building her own art studio as well . Beyond her space for making jewelry , she plans to have a section for sewing , a place for pottery , a place for floral drying , an area for macrame , another space for painting and an area for Audrey to do art and her school work .
While her children are all artistic individuals , Audrey is following in her mother ’ s footsteps . She has begun making jewelry , she makes hand-painted wooden houses and she also makes candles .
In August , Whitney-Huebner debuted her jewelry at Palestine ’ s Art Walk . Locally , you can purchase her jewelry at Wells Creek Crossing on Crawford St . in the Old Town Hollow of downtown Palestine . Online you can find her Art In Motion Jewelry & Metal Studio at shopartinmotion . com .
COURTESY PHOTO
Handcrafted jewelry made by artist and metal smith Cheryl Whitney-Huebner .
Cheryl with her husband Lance and their daughter Audrey .
COURTESY PHOTO
HOLIDAY EDITION 2022 | PALESTINE MAGAZINE | 21