The beginning of her story isn’t much different than most. Noel Leicht had always wanted to be an artist, but she graduated from Washington University with a degree in English literature and accepted a stable job instead. After a brief stint as a suburban reporter for the Globe-Democrat, she spent decades doing copywriting, advertising and public relations work. Then one day in her 50s, she decided that it was now or never and took a metalsmithing class at Craft Alliance because it was offered on a Saturday and it fit her schedule. It wasn’t long before she quit her office job and became a full-time artist.