Ronda Knight is the artist who created ”Live Like Emily,” an adult coloring book that she hopes will inspire others to live their best life. It honors the memory of a woman known to many as a friend, teacher and coach.

“Live Like Emily” shares the story of Emily Harris, who was born in Yakima and lived most of her life in Selah. Emily was a mother of two young children when she was murdered in her Selah home by her estranged husband on Jan. 24, 2020. He later killed himself.

Since then Emily’s parents, Brian and Fran Harris, have raised more than $400,000 for YWCA Yakima in her memory. Brian and Fran strongly support the YWCA’s efforts to help women and families impacted by domestic violence. They also want to raise awareness and do what they can to ensure no other families have to suffer the same profound tragedy they did.

Knight approached Brian and Fran, whom she and her husband have known for some time, about making the book and illustrating it. The book is available on Amazon and 100% of the royalties from sales go to the Emily Harris Memorial Foundation, which in turn donates all of those funds to YWCA Yakima.

Copies of the book are also available at Brian Harris Used Cars in Selah for $17.50 each or two or more for $15 each. Purchase is by cash or check only with checks made out to the Emily Harris Memorial Foundation. Brian and Fran Harris also plan to attend the YWCA Leadership Luncheon on April 17 and, along with providing copies to those attending, will be selling copies there as well.

Along with “Live Like Emily,” Knight has created other books and artwork. She feels strongly about several causes and hopes to make a difference. She and her husband, Ric, live in Terrace Heights. To get an idea of her artwork, visit Amazon.com and search “Ronda Knight books” or search for the Ronda Knight author page.

Some questions and answers:

Where did you grow up and at what point did you first begin pursuing art, or become interested in art?

I grew up primarily here in the Yakima Valley. I went to high school in Port Townsend. My stepfather was stationed at the Point Wilson Lighthouse in Port Townsend. The family moved back to Yakima in 1976.

I’ve always loved to draw and create things. Though I don’t have any real formal training, I have always tried to learn new things from others. One of my first real loves was working with pen and ink, drawing wildlife.

Raising three sons didn’t allow much time for art and it got “put away for several years.” I guess you could say COVID was responsible for kick-starting my renewed interest in art. I was working as a massage therapy instructor in Selah, and when COVID came along I realized there was no real way to “distance” myself from people in this profession, so with my husband’s blessing, I retired.

I took up painting and at almost age 65, it’s kind of snowballed.

How did you become the artist you are today, and how do you describe yourself as an artist?

I started painting and going to art shows and bazaars with my work. My art is whimsical and humorous. I began painting comical chickens and other farm animals and people found themselves laughing. One lady came into my booth at an event and saw a painting I had made of these silly hens and she started laughing, then quickly apologized. I told her, “Don’t apologize! You’ve just given me the greatest compliment!”

My daughter-in-law is the one responsible for me shifting my art to the book market. She had looked into how people can put their artwork onto low-content books like journals, sketchbooks and day planners, and sell them on Amazon. I started marketing myself through Amazon and I also continued to go to local bazaars and other events with these books. I found I could reach a much larger audience this way.

Why was it important for you to create the coloring book in memory of Emily Harris?

Emily Harris’ death impacted not just her family, but it impacted a whole community. I watched the Harris family take something so horrific and turn it into something that would honor their daughter’s life as well as try to prevent this from happening to any other family. Their daughter was a beautiful light in the community and I wanted to do something to help.

The Harris family has raised and donated almost a half a million dollars to the YWCA’s women’s shelter and programs through donations, golf tournaments, local concerts, T-shirt and sweatshirt sales, candy sales and more. The “Live Like Emily” movement was accomplishing big things. I decided I wanted to make a coloring book called “Live Like Emily” as a gift for the Harris family.

It shares who Emily was, her accomplishments and her life as well as telling a story of “what Emily would want you to know.” It has coloring pages with phrases like “You are not alone,” “You deserve to feel safe” and “You can be the Hero in your life.”

The book also talks about the 10 warning signs of domestic violence and includes the National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233), which offers help in English, Spanish and 200-plus other languages through interpreters.

What other artwork have you created in the form of coloring books and other media?

I have started putting original artwork on low-content books like journals, sketchbooks, etc. But more recently I have done some really fun coloring books. The first one was called “Chicken Scratch” and it was full of comical drawings of “chicken puns.” This was aimed at adults and has sold very well.

The second book was called “Just Ursula” and ended up being a coloring/story book. It was a book for children about a silly chicken named Ursula who felt she just didn’t “fit in.” Through several comical attempts to change herself, she learned a great lesson about self-acceptance and that she was more than OK just the way she was. This book has been purchased by teachers, parents and even grandparents and has been so much fun to share.

I have great fun creating these books, especially the ones that have a message.

What hobbies or pursuits do you enjoy by yourself and with your family?

I have recently begun a new adventure with my husband called retirement. We are looking forward to traveling. There are so many beautiful places to visit here in the Northwest alone. We love Long Beach and Port Townsend and traveling with friends. We’ll just have to see where the road takes us. We have three wonderful sons and their families that we love spending time with. I belong to Vintiques and share my husband’s interest in old cars and car shows. I also enjoy “junkin’,” looking for antiques and oddities in unusual places.

We’ve also started enjoying going out to local concerts at The Seasons Performance Hall and looking for new hole-in-the-wall places to eat here in Yakima and the surrounding area.

What other artistic or personal goals do you hope to accomplish?

I don’t want to sit still. Some people retire and life stops. I want to continue to learn and grow. I want to continue to make my art, hopefully art that conveys a message. I have several causes I am passionate about and may look at creating another book that could somehow educate and support one of those causes. I want whatever I do to make a difference.