Friends of Cathie Ruzzi, 48, have described her Catonsville home as "a work of art."

Ruzzi's knack for turning scraps into elaborate crafts can be seen in each room of her Oak Drive house: dolls made from forks, corks, springs and soda can tops; a picture collage made on an old window; a painting on part of a broken garage door.

"Traditional art is not my gig," said Ruzzi, a wife and mother of four.

Her coworkers say Ruzzi's unique approach to art makes her the perfect addition to Heritage Instructional Services -- a tutoring program for home-schooled children that operates out of St. Timothy's Church on Ingleside Avenue.

Ruzzi is in her third year at Heritage, where she teaches art to first-through-sixth-grade and science to third-and-fourth-graders. She is one of 14 tutors who teach a variety of subjects to grades first-through-12th.

"She's very talented in the art field; very creative," said Olivia Sweeney, wife of Rev. Terry Sweeney and liaison between Heritage and the St. Timothy's governing board. "Every time I go to her classroom and see the artwork hanging, I wonder where she gets her ideas."

Ruzzi's latest art class project is in line with her common use of unlikely canvasses. Each of her students has been charged with creating a design that includes some type of circular shape, and then painting it directly on the classroom carpet.

"The carpet was starting to look really bad, so I thought, 'Why not paint it?' " she said.

Sweeney said the project ultimately had to be approved by the church's governing board, which is composed of six parishioners and the pastor.

"There were some reservations about it," she said. "But the carpet was older, and it already had some paint stains and things on it. It will end up looking better than it did before."

The carpet, once a drab brown, is now covered in colorful planets, balloons and cupcakes.

"It's looking great," Ruzzi said. "It's almost a shame that we have to cover the floor back up with desks and chairs when we're done."

Ruzzi has dabbled in various professions. But none allowed for the same creative liberties Heritage has given her, she said.

She took a job with Thompson Recruitment Advertising in Baltimore after receiving a degree in graphic design from the Maryland Institute College of Art.

In the years that followed, she owned a cleaning business, tried her hand at interior design and got her real estate license.

"I tend to like change," she said. "It's not about the money, it's about loving what you do."

After she landed at Heritage three years ago, Ruzzi said she finally began to wholeheartedly love what she did.

"I'd do it for free if I had to," she said.

Ruzzi said when she started tutoring, she was a little intimidated by the organized nature of teaching curriculums.

"I was nervous," she said. "I had never come up with anything as structured before."

But with the help of fellow art tutor Kathy Valentine, she eased into the position. She recalls being inspired by the children's abilities and enthusiasm while coaching them through assignments, including an edible art project: little cake beds with graham cracker quilts.

Ruzzi has also been able to use her project-driven, hands-on approach in her science class. Since she was asked to teach the class last year, Ruzzi's students have made ice cream and planted flowers outside the church.

"I think that because of her love for the students and her love of art, she's a very effective teacher," said Amy Williams, who home-schools her own children and cofounded Heritage Instructional Services in 2002.

The program initially operated out of Bishop Cummins Memorial Church on Frederick Road, and moved to St. Timothy's before the 2008-2009 school year, said Williams.

Williams added that Ruzzi's passion for art "just seeps out of her."

"My goal is to teach kids to love art," Ruzzi said.

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