About Me

Who am I?
This is a question I often ponder.

At this moment in time my Spirit and Soul dwells within the framework of a woman who goes by the name of Wanda Gaskin-Smith.

My Soul and Spirit was born here on earth to a Blacksmith and his wife in Falkner, Mississippi. They gave me the name of Wanda Rose Reed. It was these parents that taught me to pray, love, work hard, have faith and work more.

I was never the brightest kid in my school classes. I barely graduated from high school. But I was taught to never give up. I married right out of high school and became the mother of two wonderful children before I reached the age of 22. I continued to pray, love, work hard, have faith and work more.

Growth thru life experiences and suffering brought meaning and purpose to my life and the deaths of my parents and first husband sharply changed my life. I became a young widow at the age of 35 with my two children to raise. I continued to pray, love, work hard, have faith and work more.

Living on Social Security and going to college in time I earned a B.F.A. and then a M.ED.

Life threw my body and spirit many challenges. I passed some. I failed some.

Five years working with Children’s Protective Service’s as a case worker and an investigator helped me to see and feel beyond self. It also helped to send me back to Graduate school. I continued to pray, love, work hard, have faith and work more.

By 1991 I had my Ph.D. and was a Licensed Professional counselor with my own private practice. Oh Boy, did I ever continue to pray, love, work hard, have faith and work more.

Life is Great…I found my man after 17 years of the single life and settled into a new life with a good strong man by my side. We continue to pray, love, work hard, have faith and work more.

Book Cover: Art as Therapy has been my spirit’s salvation throughout my travels here on earth, whether it be painting or writing. The cover for “Fire, Ice & Roses” is a watercolor on rice paper which I titled, “Woman on A Mission”. I completed this watercolor during the time I was investigating child abuse for Children’s Protective Services.

If you look close in the left hand corner you can see a Christ like figure that became noticeable in the painting when the rice paper began to dry.