She explained that tole was originally done on tin. She sells some of her work at Stan Hywet's Ohio Mart. She holds an art education degree from Central Michigan University, and did her graduate work at the University of Michigan. Kern is a member of the Society of Professional Tole and Decorative Painting. She taught art at Schumacher Elementary School and Perkins Junior High in Akron before becoming a full-time mother.
Students learn shading, highlighting and glazing.
Sometimes she has students who complain that their finished projects don't look as good as hers. Kern became interested in decorative painting when a non-artist friend in Michigan showed her some pieces she had done. She laughs when she thinks of her early work. But even over a week or a month, technique changes. Kern originally created her own designs, but eventually began decorating from patterns she purchased.