After 35 years of "hard labor" in the corporate grind, Cheryl Hardin realized it was time for a change.

She began painting professionally in 2000 and after moving to Gainesville, she realized there were a lot of people just like her.

"I discovered that Gainesville is a hot bed of artistic endeavor," Hardin said.

In 2009, she opened Gallery 110 in downtown Gainesville. She said opening the fine art gallery has had its fair share of challenges, but it is something she has always wanted to do.

"There is nothing that passionate, dedicated and talented women cannot do," Hardin said.

Four accomplished female artists spoke at Thursday's WomenSource Brown Bag Lunch.

The lunch was held at the Francis Meadows Aquatic and Community Center the first Thursday of the month. Guest speakers talk on a wide variety of topics including health, finance, cooking and community during the monthly lunches.

This month's lunch focused on women in the arts.

"I've learned that when you feel deeply in your heart about something, when you have passion and a burning desire, that's what you need to do. You need to act on it. You need to give yourself permission. You need to have a little courage," Patti Russell said to a crowd more than 80 women.

Each of the female artists who spoke at the lunch told a story about how they became artists and what art means to them.

The underlying theme to each of their stories was about how art, in it's many forms, has the ability to empower and transform lives.

Vanessa Grubbs had the entire room cracking up with her humorous ceramic pieces.

While most of her pieces were inspired family and events, a few owe their existence to reality television.

A dish she created was inspired by the TV show "The Biggest Loser." After watching the contestants struggle with the want for a donut she had to ask herself what was wrong with the world.

"I feel ashamed that there is so much pressure on everyone to be a certain size. I feel ashamed that there is only one image of beauty," Grubbs said.

Fox Gradin has made it her personal mission to help women see the beauty in their own image.

Gradin is a photographer and owner of Celestial Studios in downtown Gainesville.

Through her work in photography she has the unique ability to show women what they actually look like, rather than what they think they look like.

She discovered how photography can be a life altering medium through one of her first clients.

After returning the proofs to her client, the woman began to cry. Gradin apologized and offered to retake the photos.

The woman told her she had it all wrong. She was crying because she never knew that she was beautiful.

Gradin said that was the moment she realized she would focus her business on women.

She said she believes if women don't worry about the way they look more doors will open for them.

"So if I can help people by getting that out of the way, by showing you what you look like for real because you don't know what you look like. When you look in the mirror every day you do not see what everybody else sees," Gradin said.