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Born with a keen eye for detail, Goodman first discovered her creative skills at an early age, as she produced her own art exhibit when she was in the first grade. Goodman continued to refine her skills in school as she pursued a minor in Art from the East Carolina University (ECU) School of Art. At ECU, she learned to market her creations and that promotional knowledge has helped her art draw critical acclaim. Goodman’s design “Solitude” won the People’s Choice Award at the Mooresville Artist’s Guild Fall Show and Cauble Creek Vineyards utilized one of her creations on the label for its 2012 Cabernet appropriately named “Adelle.” In 2011, Goodman produced work for an all-equine art show with fellow artist, Leslie Hudson-Tolles, that was featured at four different venues.

Goodman has always been a creative and forward thinker. In 1991 she contacted ECU with a fundraising idea for the school’s Pirate Club at the Peach Bowl in Atlanta. Goodman created a pencil/charcoal collage of ECU’s football coach at the time, Bill Lewis, and several players which included Jeff Blake, Luke Fisher, and Deon Johnson. The design and opportunity raised over $10,000 for ECU.  A decade later, ECU commissioned Goodman to create another pencil/charcoal collage of the its championship-winning baseball team for a fundraiser and the original work of art is still on display in the school’s baseball complex.   

In 2009, Goodman began volunteering for a local nonprofit organization, Horse Protection Society, which rescues abused and neglected horses. In March of 2009, Goodman created an original portrait design of 2006 Kentucky Derby Champion Barbaro to help raise funds for the Horse Protection Society at their annual auction. Goodman’s artwork donations have generated over $10,000 for many animal rescue non-profit organizations over the years.

“Every animal portrait I do is special, but my favorites are probably the ones I’ve done for the ones that have passed away,” said Goodman. “They mean the most because the owners tell me they feel like they got a part of their pet back.”

One of her portraits also helped a local family with their grief following a personal tragedy. “I did a portrait of ‘Will’ for his parents, who lost him in a tragic accident,” said Goodman. “I don’t do faces anymore really, but I did this as a gift to them to help with their grieving…I’m very thankful to be able to do this for people.”

A longtime animal lover who has also rescued many over the years, Goodman has found her calling as she commissions animal portraits to immortalize people’s precious pets. Each portrait takes between 15 to 25 hours to create, depending on the animal. Goodman also designs barn quilts which are painted to hang on a barn or outbuilding.

With more than 25 years of racing experience, Goodman continues to provide her knowledge and energy to Team Penske. She remains connected to her passion of art design, however, and spends most of her free time in her studio on her family farm. Goodman’s Monarch Cottage farm features many of her favorite things including her art, flower gardens and roaming animals like chickens, guinea pigs and cats.