Rising Stars: Meet Adoria Maxberry

Today we’d like to introduce you to Adoria Maxberry. 

Hi Adoria, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
For years, I worked in a corporate America career where I steadily climbed the ladder. What seemingly began like a normal request from my daughter to throw a paint-themed birthday party, turned out to be a life-changing encounter. Every year, I threw elaborately themed parties for my kids. This year, all of the parents suggested that I continue to throw events like this because they would absolutely pay for this service. I declined and proceeded to work in the financial industry. Eventually, the seed that was planted continued to grow and get watered through my volunteerism that often-surrounded teaching and working with both children and adults, especially in the classroom. After several encounters with random individuals that continued to point in the same direction the Spirit was leading me in, I finally decided to take a leap of faith and host another event. This was a success and led me to start the company Most OutGROWing LLC officially in 2016. Using a play on my senior superlative in high school of Most Outgoing, I realized that in life we all can’t have some of the other superlative titles, but we can all GROW beyond expectations and pursue the passions and dreams that are placed on our heart. We can all earn the superlative of Most OutGROWing. This company is an arts organization helping others to grow beyond expectations using the vehicle of art. Paint parties led to private instruction, murals, published illustration opportunities, speaking engagements, and a host of other unique opportunities. Eventually, I realized that this crazy leap of faith would lead to an even larger jump to leave my career to pursue the business full-time. Engagements were actively pulling me away from my “day job.” My husband asked what was holding me back after I hosted a successful event at Miami University. From this observation just a year later in 2017, I officially left Fifth Third Bank to pursue my business full-time. Shortly after that, I decided to return to school to pursue my passion and further my skills for my clients and myself. I attended DAAP (College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning at the University of Cincinnati) to obtain my Master of Visual Art Education and State of OH Licensure courses. Simultaneously, I was also asked to be a guest artist/instructor at a Cincinnati Public School which led to also becoming a long-term art substitute for the district while still running my business. 

While I didn’t realize it at the time, the moves made strategically aligned with being able to be there for my family when it meant the most. While in my first year of my Master program at DAAP, I realized that we would be expecting our third child. In addition to that, my father was diagnosed with cancer. As his health began to decline and we were making difficult decisions, my mother was then diagnosed with cancer also. While in my first year of obtaining my Master with a full course load, my father passed, and while planning the funeral from my delivery room, I delivered my third child as my mom was having her port installed so that she may start chemotherapy. Within the second year of my program, my mom encouraged me to continue to pursue my master and was able to see me graduate with a cumulative 4.0 and named 2020 Outstanding Graduate Student for the school of art, despite the fact that the Covid-19 pandemic would keep us from truly experiencing a graduation ceremony. She passed in 2020 and 4 months later her mother who I’d also been a caregiver for passed at 101 years old. In what seemed like a whirlwind of tragedies, would not have been the same if I had not decided to pursue my passion for the arts and step out on faith. I would not have been able to have the final moments with the people that meant the most in my life. After no longer being concerned about the risk teaching in the public school system would have on my mother’s health, I began working in Cincinnati Public Schools as a full-time Visual Arts Educator while continuing to manage Most OutGROWing. Starting initially at Rising Stars at Carthage, I eventually returned to Woodford Academy, where I met my husband in first grade and eventually graduated from in 6th grade, where my children attended, where my mother taught for over 34 years before passing, and where I was named after the first principal of the school and my mother’s former leader, Adoria Whitaker Perkins. I am in my second year at Woodford where I replaced my elementary art teacher Karen Ater-Linser. It has truly been a dream come true being able to give back to my community in this capacity. I am still running Most OutGROWing and have several other roles that live up to the crazy company name such as being a lead teaching artist and designer for ArtWorks, a member of Black Art Speaks and lead muralist/designer for the letter M in the Black Lives Matter! Cincinnati Mural, designing a streetcar design hosted by Arts Wave for the Cincinnati Bell Connector, being the lead puppeteer and voice of Paige Turner the owl on the Emmy-winning Learning through Art children’s show “Paige’s Place” led by Kathy Wade, an NAEA Crayola Ambassador, and a board member for the Revolution Dance Theater and Artsville, and minister and praise team member at The Living Water Ministries in Hartwell. Ultimately, I cannot take any credit for the host of accomplishments but have to give God all the glory for orchestrating such a well-timed series of life events. 

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There have definitely been challenges along the way as previously discussed. Beyond the loss of both parents, our family’s matriarch, and a host of other challenges, there’s the joy that comes along with being a parent of three and its challenges. I’ve had denials for numerous grants and applications, had people underestimate the vision I’ve been given. I was even told once to change my company name. During one mural, I had someone attempt to deface the project. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I specialize in providing vibrant, colorful, inspiring artwork, educational experiences, and performances! From fiber arts to ceramics, to graphic and visual arts, I enjoy a multi-faceted approach to the arts. I am proud of my work as a parent the most, as they are my best masterpieces. Besides them, I am in awe that I have spoken at numerous universities (NKU, UC, XU, and led events at Miami University) and area high schools. I absolutely love that my work is featured in numerous places throughout the city and has uplifted many people. I love that even a novice can sit with me and create a piece that shocks them! I like to create experiences that encourage people to explore and even see themselves differently. 

Within my artwork, I often hide words and phrases that’s look like a design but hold deep meaning to the commissioner. For example, in a recent piece we added all the names/roles of the subject into the lace of her shirt. Her family was beyond appreciative and moved to tears. There’s usually a lot of hidden meaning in the pieces of my art. 

What also is neat is the collaboration with amazing artists like Michael Coppage and making the shirts for his Black Box exhibit and the ones sold in the gift shop at 21C Museum and Hotel. 

In addition to being a Crayola Ambassador, I am also a Taft Musuem Artist Reaching the Classroom. As a Taft ARC, I attend area school classrooms and speak to students about my career as an artist as well as lead arts activities with area high school students 

Also, I’m proud that I received recognition by the city of Cincinnati as a Black is Excellence 2022 Unsung Hometown Hero. 

How can people work with you, collaborate with you, or support you?
People can always choose to head out to www.Mostoutgrowing.com, to book our services, create with us, donate or even purchase custom apparel! We can be contacted directly from the site and are on all major social media sites. 

Pricing:

• Private lessons starting at 50/hour
• Commissions $500/sq ft.
• Paint parties $25-40/per participant
• Mural pricing varies based on location and design
• Apparel starting at $25/item

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mostoutgrowing.com
• Instagram: @mostoutgrowing
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/100069823596395/
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UC5B-XUmAcsaTAMz0jbhlMWA

Image Credits
Pixxel Designs
Most OutGROWing
Brittney Johnson