Samara Caughey grew up in the woods just outside of Seattle, Washington, climbing trees and swimming in lakes. After high school she moved to Chicago to attain her Bachelor of Fine Arts at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in photography, then on to Los Angeles for her Master of Fine Arts at University of Southern California in sculpture.

She taught art classes for children at the Armory Center for the Arts in Pasadena, California, for nine years before opening her own studio in 2010. Purple Twig is an art studio for children and families that focuses on teaching techniques such as ceramics, drawing, sculpture, collage, and printmaking all the while allowing children to have their own voice.

Samara’s approach to teaching children grows directly out of her fine art practice, which consists of sculpture, collage, and drawing. Another influence in her work with children is her mother, who is a child psychologist specializing in play therapy for young children. Samara’s mother taught her about the developmental stages of childhood and the importance of acknowledging and respecting these stages with nonjudgmental yet positive interactions.

Samara lives in Los Angeles with her two children.