More about Kim and Van Sturgeon
Before devoting himself to animal training full-time, Van worked in higher education as a teacher and administrator for 23 years. He worked at Guilford College, The South Carolina Governor's School for Science and Mathematics, Duke University, and the College of Charleston.
A dog lover and owner all his life, Van began systematic dog training 7 years ago. In 2003, his mixed-breed dog, Crab, was cast in Shakespeare’s play, "Two Gentlemen of Verona" at the College of Charleston. Van taught Crab to respond to subtle cues from the actors with whom he appeared on stage. According to theatre reviewer Robert Jones, Crab performed “to perfection, throwing in a cute little bow to the ovation that greeted his curtain call.”
Van believes that to be effective, an animal trainer must be Calm, Creative, Clear, Concise, Concrete, Compassionate, Curious, Considerate, Comical, and aware that all of our actions, no matter how small, have Consequences whether we are aware of them or not. He has found these principles to be effective when working with humans, too.
Kim is the artist in the family. Her primary focus is commissioned pet portraits because she loves to hear about the special relationships people develop with their pets, and then to create a lasting likeness of each animal that captures its personality.
She understands the unique and powerful connections that can develop between humans and animals. Her artwork is a creative expression of these loving relationships.
For now her art “business,” like her horse training, is an entrepreneurial hobby. She funds these hobbies through her full-time work as Assistant Vice-President for Advancement at Trident Technical College, where she leads the effort to raise funds to support local students in the pursuit of their educational goals.
