After 10 years in classroom, Minnesota teacher trades pupils for paintbrushes

ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. — After 10 years of teaching, Nikki Jean Tran is trading pupils for paintbrushes.

"I love my kids. I love my parents. Honestly, I didn't see it coming. It was a year ago in November, my second year teaching fifth grade, and I just hit a brick wall," Tran said.

Tran felt under a lot of pressure.

"I had a burnout. I would wake up every day at 3 a.m. and the mind would just start racing," explained Tran. "'How can I reach this kid, how can I make this more engaging?'"

The tipping point came when it became too painful to continue.

"I would get pounding headaches every day and then I would cry mid-teaching. The kids would see it coming. 'Mrs. Tran, go to your desk, we'll just do homework,'" said Tran.

With the support of her husband, Paul, Tran finished out the school year before turning to the passion that got her through another difficult time.

"My entire life I was going to be a mom. That was my job and that was what I was going to do, And in 2014, we found out we probably wouldn't be able to have kids. My entire purpose for life just fell, and so I reached for water coloring because even as a kid I wanted to illustrate and write my own book," said Tran.

Four years later, she created her first Minnesota watercolor calendar. She didn't produce a calendar for 2023, but now she's back, sharing her renewed love of life and Minnesota through art.

The paintings, photos, fonts, and stories are all personal.

"The month of July is when Paul proposed in the conservatory at Como," said Tran. "I like painting, it's like I'm creating my diary with watercolors."

Painting signifies change, as one moves from a blank canvas to endless possibilities.

"It's a change. It's terrifying but you just have to try," advised Tran.

The challenges, difficulties and opportunities of the last decade have changed her view of success.

"Am I happy? Am I working on the goals I want? And honestly, worst case scenario, no one buys my calendar and I have a ton of Christmas gifts and birthday gifts for people," laughed Tran.

Tran's 2024 calendar, "Minnesota in Watercolors," can be purchased at Red Balloon Bookshop in St. Paul and Drury Lane Books in Grand Marais or on her website, NikkiJeanTran.com.