Think you might have a little Picaso or Monet at home? One way to find out is with art lessons. Lifelong North Andover resident Julie Faro has launched a new art school at 84 Main St. (across from the First & Main plaza) and will be hosting an open house Wednesday from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Faro's journey to that small-yet-colorful classroom space on Main Street has been one of self-discovery. "I took art lessons when I was a kid at Tatia's Art Studio on Marblehead Street," Faro said. "It's kind of something I've always wanted to do." Faro later helped out with teaching at Tatia's when she was in …

The eye-catching, hand-painted silk designs of Monika Roglic are unique and may be considered as a fashion statement as well as a conversation piece. The vibrant colors and delicate material, which acts as her canvas, come together to produce inspired articles of clothing. Each piece is one-of a-kind and the story of the creator is as compelling as the garments she creates. Monika Rogilc was born and raised in Croatia. She laments her time in her native country having come to the United States with her husband, Davor, and daughter, Maja in 1999. Her move to the states was not without its …

North Andover native Cheryl Hajjar and co-author Amy Perreault have published the first in an ongoing series of books geared toward children ages 1-4. The Paci Pixie is a magical story of a helpful fairy who lives in an Indigo Forest and encourages young children to willingly give up their pacifier. Drawing from personal experience, Hajjar and Perreault devised the concept when they each personally struggled with the battle to have their youngsters relinquish their pacifiers. Perreault, an experienced early childhood development professional, and Hajjar, an accomplished singer-songwriter, …

In her former career as a pharmaceutical sales representative, Monique Johnson was passionate and successful at what she did. She traveled and managed client needs on many levels which she found personally and professionally rewarding. And then came children. Like with many successful career women, the desire to introduce the family element into an already established profession often leads to a re-evaluation process to determine how or if these two worlds should co-exist. Johnson went through this process herself and weighed the pros and cons of staying or leaving the path that she was on. “…

In the last edition of Women in Business, Maureen Demers returned to work after having been a stay at home mom for twelve years. It was a big step, but what if your career aspirations required that you take a different kind of leap and return to school? Many women think about it and, more often than not, they forget about it. Either the idea is too overwhelming or it doesn’t make practical sense as a means to an end. Jennifer Jones could not be deterred, however, when she made the decision to pursue her desire to become a teacher. When it comes to careers, the business of educating our …

Many women who have made the decision to stay at home with their young children face the inevitable transition of returning to work when they deem the time is right. Whether their children are younger or older, the question commonly asked is “Okay, now what?” Maureen Demers, CFP, knew the answer to this question early on as she had laid the groundwork for her return to the financial services industry during the twelve years that she was away raising her family of three children. Prior to having children, Demers was in the finance industry working for a money manager in Boston and later for a …

Having a vision and seeing it through is, at times, easier said than done. Laura DiBlasi, however, identified her path early on and paved a road for herself that has proven to be a successful and satisfying business. DiBlasi owns and operates Laura DiBlasi Tailoring & Dressmaking out of her home studio at 1248 Salem St. She has designed the separate and distinct space as a full service shop complete with customer counter, raised fitting platform, dressing rooms and equipment. It was all part of a master plan that DiBlasi envisioned when she moved to North Andover 14 years ago. DiBlasi was …

Childcare provider, teacher, mother, wife; what do they all have in common? The answer is passion -- passion for the growth and development of those that you love. Lauriann Messina exudes that passion and has used it to take her former, at-home daycare service to a now growing childcare center located at the First Calvary Baptist Church. Messina began her daycare business out of her home 18 years ago after the birth of her first child. She used her Bachelor degree in education, dual major in special education and former work experience in the field to create an environment “where learning and…

Launching a new business from scratch is a challenge. Doing so with two young children is impressive. Lina Ochoa Hunter, Owner of Cakes By Design Edible Art, is a prime example of a woman with a vision who, through determination and good business sense, has created a successful business of her own -- one that brings her professional and personal satisfaction while continuing to be a dedicated mother and wife. Hunter began her career, prior to children, as a licensed dentist. She practiced for 11 years and took time away after the births of her two children, Ilana and Sebastian. While she …

Returning to work after being a stay at home mom is not an easy task. Finding just the right role is often daunting and stressful. Women return to work for many reasons. The most obvious, especially in this weak economy, is the need for a secondary income. Others include the need for mental stimulation, a simple desire to contribute or the fact that children are in school full time and it seems a natural next step. No matter what the reason, there are sure to be many questions and concerns: Will the cost of childcare outweigh any possible earnings? What will I do? How will I manage being a …