Abbeville native Tiffeny Owens, 44, was found Saturday afternoon at the Oxford Maker’s Market inside the Powerhouse with a number of other artists who were selling their creations.

Owens works full time with the University of Mississippi Foundation in the accounting department, where she handles receipts for all donors who give to the university.

“I love where I work,” she said. “I love it as well as I do painting. Painting just brightens up my day and gives me a peace of mind.”

Owens said painting is a hobby that is a source of extra income. Her table displayed a variety of colorful acrylic creations, from cotton to landscapes.

“My earliest memory of growing up in Abbeville was picking cotton,” said Owens, who also recalls playing basketball with friends. “We would play ball late in the evenings in the dirt.”

Owens later played basketball at Lafayette High School from seventh through 12th grades. English was her favorite subject, and she didn’t attempt any art until college. She earned a bachelor’s degree in art from the University of Mississippi.

“I just kind of fell in love with it,” she said. “I did some drawings before I went to Ole Miss. I just decided this is what I wanted to do.”

Owens initially thought about teaching, but decided on art.

“For some reason, I guess God inspired me to do something else,” she said. “I decided to go ahead and fulfill my dreams of being an artist, and I thank God for it, because I have been blessed.”

Owens has three children, and all of them are artists.

She began selling her artwork a few years ago.

“I’m a member of the Oxford Artist’s Guild,” she said, “and also I’m a vendor here.”

Owens said she usually works in acrylic.

“My work stands out a lot, because I love bright colors,” she said. “I love what I do. A lot of people tell me I have my own style.”