Personal Space

Mary Ley, CEO of the Arkansas Arts Academy, poses for a photo with her dog Chloe near the North gate of the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art trail system, just a short walk from her home in Bentonville, on Friday Nov. 14, 2014.
Mary Ley, CEO of the Arkansas Arts Academy, poses for a photo with her dog Chloe near the North gate of the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art trail system, just a short walk from her home in Bentonville, on Friday Nov. 14, 2014.

Mary Ley

Where I live: I live in Bentonville in the Kingsbury neighborhood on the north side of Crystal Bridges Museum. My backyard actually rolls into the north side of Crystal Bridges. I bought the house when it was being built. It was all about location. My husband, my son and I are active runners and cyclists, and we wanted to have that active trail connection. The Enfield Trail is right behind my house, and it takes me to Crystal Bridges trails and the North Bentonville Trail.

Occupation: Chief executive officer of the Arkansas Arts Academy charter school in Rogers. It's the same role as a superintendent, but without a superintendent's license. I do all the state reports and requirements like a superintendent. This is my 37th year in education. I started teaching art when I was 19 at a high school, which was crazy.

My favorite space: On the trails by my house.

Why? Every morning, I run two hours before I go to work. I get up at 3:45 a.m., and I'm on the trails by a little after 4 a.m. That is my space where I figure out everything. I find all my answers there. When I'm out running and I have a solution to find, I process it while I'm running. I formulate ideas of what I want to create and what I want to draw there.

If I could do one thing to improve this space I would: Communicate to other people to respect it.

HomeStyle on 11/22/2014

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