Michele Ambrozic's dream is to spend a few weeks in the Frenchcountryside, stopping every morning for wine and cheese, going into thefields and painting for hours, then returning to a hostel and eating aseven-course meal. But for now, the Shaler wife and mother is more thancontent with her life. "I'm happy," she said. "I don't need much more." For now, her life is wrapped up in her family and her business. Six years ago Ambrozic was working with an interior design firm inAspinwall. The University of Pittsburgh grad with a studio-arts major wasstressed about leaving her daughters and working away from the home. Sheturned in her company car and called her sister-in-law for a ride becauseshe didn't have a vehicle. Ambrozic began painting while her two children and three others sat in theroom with their own paints. The five children were all less than fiveyears old. Since then, she has become a happy artist withsatisfied clients. Some even offer her hugs and kisses. "I'm giving everybody ice cream," she said. The artist is really giving her clients a work of art made from just aboutanything which can be painted from shoes to mailboxes to furniture tomurals. And the special part of her painting is it meets the client'sstyle. For example, Ambrozic has created chairs in a wide variety of styles. There is one for a favorite teacher with pluses and minuses, division andmultiplication signs, and an apple. A yellow plaid painted on a chair ishighlighted by brilliant red poppies. There are chairs with MarilynnMonroe's face a la Andy Warhol; angled, multicolored faces a la Picasso; anda pieced person after Matisse. The painter has recreated Renoirs and Surrauts on fire screens. "I love copying those masters," she said. "You go through their steps,mixing colors, doing shadows." Ambrozic can materialize a masterpiece or a character-piece on a $5 chair. For her, it's a special ability to think through the problem and find thespecial solution. "Each piece has a distinctive age and character which can only be enhancedin a couple of ways," she said. Ambrozic finds those few ways and presents them to the client and lets thebuyer choose. "It's not my piece; I have to know it's right for them." For Ambrozic, there is no ego. There is only getting the job done whetherit is fixing a stuffed fish or creating faux marble at Epiphany Church. Her work has become so well-known that in September she did more work thanshe had done her entire first year. She is happy one of the advantages of her painting is her daughters' pridein her work. Additional Information:

Michele Ambrozic

Age: 40. Family: Husband Frank, daughters Natalie, 11, Courtney, 8. Hometown: Shaler. Pets: Rabbit 'Nibbles.' Business: Decorative Painting by Michele. Dream: Art classes in France. Inspiration: Books, magazines, library, and children's books. Pet peeve: Clean kitchen counters. Favorite artist: Renoir. Favorite vice: Wearing overalls everywhere. Special shopping: Book Country.

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