BEXLEY FOREVER: Fall 2024

Living the Wildlife: Nora Steele

Nora Steele ‘12 still has a photo of herself in second grade dressed as an artist for Montrose Career Day. "Art was always my favorite subject in elementary school," said Nora, who believes that her last "official" art lesson came from Montrose Art Teacher Becky Liefeld.

Although she never planned to pursue art as a career, she now finds herself combining her artistic talents with her naturalist training. Nora’s love of nature began as a teen when she witnessed the spring mass migration of amphibians to vernal pools and other wetlands to breed. This event sparked her interest in exploring more of the natural world.

Not surprisingly, Nora's favorite high school class was AP Environmental Science and she cherishes the bird book gifted to her by her BHS Science Teacher Jennifer Messerly.

Participation in the BHS WINGS program allowed her to do an internship with the Columbus Metroparks. Following graduation, Nora attended Hocking College where she studied wildlife management and earned a two-year Associate's Degree.

After ten years of working as a Fairfield County Park naturalist, Nora began to draw worksheets, trailmaps and create digital art of many woodland creatures for young visitors to enjoy. Her art serves to "connect people with more obscure topics that they might not know much about and that is its beauty."

Today, Nora brings the wonder of the natural world to life through her digital illustrations. This past spring, she was one of only 25 artists to be selected to participate in the Ohio Arts Council's Building Bridges to Sustained Communities Initiative.

Nora's amazing work can be viewed and purchased online at NoraSteeleArt.com