Art Metals

The images from left to right: a raised cup in copper, a sanddollar in copper and brass, hotwheels in cast bronze and leggo wheels, a bowl sunk in copper. I really had fun with most of these projects. The sinking and raising of bowls and cups was really quite fun; the planishing was the best part. The sanddollar was a great project as well and I enjoyed making something that reminded me of home. The hot wheels was my least favorite project, it involved casting three found objects, trading with classmates and winding up with three that we had to put together in a narrative. I ended up a frog, a half of hollow pepper and a slice of pizza. My narrative is about a memory of playing with my brothers hot wheels cars and his yellow hot wheels race track. I wasn't able to find any yellow tracks or a piece of that would have been included.

Sculpture

These are images of two sculptures that I completed in my advanced sculpture class Fall 2010 semester at Boise State University. In the first piece, the human heart with the needle through it, the assignment was to take a small object and enlarge it, and take a large object and shrink it then put them together to create a sculpture with a meaning. Because heart disease was big in my family and I lost both my brother and dad from enlarged hearts within 6 months of each other I decided on a needle through the heart to represent heart attack. The second piece was a pez with a little duck on it, I cast the fly out of wax and added the fly in between the pez dispenser and the duck. The assignment again was to take two objects and create a narrative. The whole idea behind this piece was how Pez puts cutsy or popular characters on top of their dispensers to lure kids to buy their product and eat their candy, while at the same time rotting their teeth. The fly represents both the marketers who use any means possible to sell products and tooth decay.

Art Metals

These are images of some of the projects that I worked on in my art metals class at Boise State under the direction of Professor Anika Smulovitz. The first image from left to right; guitar pic and sterling silver earrings (an assignment), the other three pairs of earrings, ring and bracelets were done for fun on my own time.

The second image contains a few of my plexiglass themed rings I did for our multiples assignment and metals sale.

The next photo is my "Breathe" necklace which was done as an assignment. The reuirement was to use multiples of an object and create an adornment with it.

My daughter is an asthmatic and I had a collection of hundreds of these asthma medication vials along with an outdated nebulizer, so I created this piece. I also used the twist off tops of the medicine vials to add to the necklace.

To the right of the "Breathe" necklace is just some computer part earrings and necklace that I was experimenting with. Although the necklace and earrings are pretty simple looking they are really quite pretty as jewlery and I have been experiementing with cutting the materials and trying to layer different shapes and pieces.

Container Ring

This is a ring that I made in my second metals class. I had a lot of fun with this project, and although it didn't turn out the way I wanted it to I was still pleased with the end result. My plan was to have a bow on the top of the ring to represent eternal families, but time and inexperience prevented me from attempting the bow so I settled for these flowers. The ring contains small sterling silver symbols that represent each of my immediate family members, each with their first inital stamped on it. It is not a very practical piece to wear because of it's size.

Mid Coast Art Glass and Restoration

These are just a few images of the work that I was commissioned to do when I had my glass business. I started this business both out of enjoying the hobby of glass work and out of the need to pay for the hobby. I first started by putting displays up in local stores like lumber companies that put in kitchens, a local clay place, and places that sold windows and doors. I made business cards, and advertised in both the newspaper and the yellow pages of the phone book. My business exploded within a year and I was booked a year in advance for commission pieces. I was the only stained glass business in the coastal area of Maine. My mentors, Jim Nutting and Nel Bernard, who own Maine Art Glass Studio and Gallery, sent business my way that they didn't have time to do, and I would send business their way that was too big for me to do. They continued to mentor me when there was something that I didn't know or when I needed help on certain projects. Sadly I was forced to close my business when we moved to Idaho and shortly after I began attending classes at University of Nevada Reno. My hope is to start teaching classes again, and maybe a little bit of commission work once I graduate.

Gifted & Talented

These images are of completed projects from an 8-week gifted and talented program I taught in Maine. I was hired by the city of Brunswick to teach 15 gifted and talented students from area high schools. At the end of the program my students and I presented thier work and talked about the program at the "Evening in the Arts" and a reception held in their honor. I know that several of these students went on to study in art schools across the country. Would have loved to stay in touch and see where they are at today.

Milk Jug Masks

This is a project that I did with one of the elementary schools I taught at. I always start my lesson out with a power point that talks about the environment in some way just to make them think more about the materials they are using and the fun things they can create with recycled materials. The great part is the no cost supplies, I just had the kids bring in their empty milk jugs, newspapers, and paper towel and toilet paper rolls from home. It didn't take long to get what we needed for each student. We did paper mache over them with flour and water, yet another inexpensive material to use for teaching. Once the paper mache was dry the kids painted their masks with tempera. This was a 6th, 7th and 8th grade project.

Tape Sculpture

These are images of a tape sculpture that

I did for one of my foundations classes. With this project we had to create a tape sculpture, then place the sculptures out in public places and take pictures of the publics reactions. My camera wouldn't work fast enough and although I didn't get very many reactive photo's I most definately got some reactions. I really enjoyed this project and while driving around town found many of my classmates tape sculptures in odd places. Some even made the newspaper.

Robot Assemblage

These pieces were done by Idaho Art teachers at the 2009 Idaho Art Education Association Conference in Haliey, Idaho.

This lesson plan was developed as part of my Elemtary School Art Methods class. and it involved environmental issues worldwide and the effects of e-waste (electronic waste). Since the development of this lesson plan, I have had the opportunity to teach it to severals groups including the Meridian Library's after school art program, Gateway School of Language and Culture's Environmental group.

Graphite

These are just a few drawings I have done. The first one with the pot and onions was an assignment for my first drawing class. The second drawing, the tree with fruit, I did at home for fun and for practice. I enjoyed my drawing class, but I really enjoy 3-D art more than 2-D art. Perhaps because I am not very confident in my drawing . . . that usually means I need to draw more.

Beginning Ceramics

These are just a few of my pieces that I created in my beginning ceramics class. This class was challenging to me because most of my classmates, who were fresh out of high school had already had two or three years of ceramics and could throw on the wheel with no problem. This was the very first time I had work with clay. I am looking forward to taking some additional ceramics classes outside of the university setting because of the lower costs and a more relaxed environment.

Encaustic Painting /Cube Project

These are images of some more work from students that I taught at Compass Public Charter School. The first image is an encaustic painting done on a board (used cardboard as well). I had the high school kids draw still life first onto their boards, then I melted crayons in muffin tins on top of a griddle and they used patinbrushes to apply the melted crayon to the cardboard. The second image is of a cube project I did with 7th graders at Compass. I had them create their cube story based on a story that they were reading in their language arts class, they were to pick out a scene or event in the book and depict it on the cube. The challenge for them was to draw large enough so the images overflowed into the other quadrants of the cube. They were not allowed to draw one picture on each side. This was really challenging for them. Once their drawing was done, they painted their cubes in tempera. Both projects were a big hit with the kids.

Lascaux Cave Painting

This is a project I did with some kids at Compass Public Charter School. The kids first learned about the Lascaux Cave paintings. I presented that information via a slide show. Prior to the lesson I created stencils for the younger grades so all they had to do was stencil. This was demonstrated to the kids prior to the start of the lesson. Once they had the outline, they added color;I only put out the colors that would have been found on the cave walls during the time they were created. The images were done on brown paper bags, torn on the edges then placed over black construction paper to frame them, the edges were torn to give an antique look to them. The kids really enjoyed this lesson. This was taught at the elementary school level.

After School Visual Artist for Meridian Library

These are Batik scarves that I did with a group of kids at the

Meridian Library. I volunteered to do their after school art program, which lasted for about 6 months. The kids, boys and girls, did these Batik scarves for their mothers for mother's day. They were so excited to do this project, and the scarves turned out fabulous. I purchased about 8 used irons and 6 used electric

frying pans from Idaho Youth Ranch and other second hands places so that I could teach Batik in large groups. The library paid for the wax and the dye. I included little gift bags with tissue paper as well so the kids didn't have to rely on their dads to get their scarves wrapped. I took the scarves home to dry them in between so they were ready for the following week. The following week I had the kids decorate their brown paper bags with handles. Other projects included the "Recycled Robots" and "Faux Leather Binders" which were stitched with paper inside.

Brillo Pad Bra

This was a piece I had done for my foundations

class quite a few semesters ago. This piece had to

do with gender roles in commercials. In the case of the Brillo Pad Bra, it had to do with commercials for cleaning products and why women are always the gender used in commercials for cleaning products. Perhaps because "A Women's Place is in the Home".

NOT!