Journey of life through teaching & the arts.

My Recycled Paper Art Workshop at Allied Arts RARE 2014!

It has been a long 6 months since I have been back in the states and I've found that I need to get back into writing on a regular basis. I can think of many reasons why this is important. For one, it will help me formulate ideas into motion. Perhaps with help from loved ones, friends, both new and old - I can get positive feedback.

I apologize to myself and my readers, for not getting back into this blog sooner. Over the last several months I've been pouring myself into the ongoing hunt for a teaching position and a paying job to take care of life's necessities. We all have bills to pay and when you are in between jobs, you can really feel the pressure. I am fortunate in that I have such an amazing core group of loved ones who are helping me get through the hard times that often follow after a recent graduation from college. I've recently been hired as a part-time position in a craft and sewing store & as a result I now work as a framer. While it is not what my ultimate goal is, this will suit me just fine for now, while I have smaller workshop classes and continue my journey to teach art.

I've also been working on a few art and teaching goals.   One teaching goal that I completed. was that I worked with a local non-profit organization called Allied Arts of Whatcom County in April, in which I taught a Handmade Paper & Plant Pulp workshop via the annual RARE recycled art expo. It was an inspiring textiles class that I learned so much about how to go about teaching such a class in an art stores studio, the classroom environment, teaching older students that were adult ages, and shared a great opportunity.

Currently, I'm planning another exciting workshop class next month on July 30th & 31st between 6:00pm - 8:00pm, to be through a new recycle textiles business called Ragfinery. This fun textiles art 2-day workshop will be a Tie-Dye Reuse Fabrics class where the (all-ages are welcome), class can learn various different tie-dye techniques on your own 3-6 swatches of fabric with the option of a T-shirt for only $26.00.  Ragfinery is locaated in Bellingham, WA and their calendar for online registry is here:  http://www.ragfinery.com/workshops-2/

As far as my artwork is going, I've been doing some preliminary art drawings, paintings, and sketches for designs toward a few new versions of fantasy, (mermaids), history, and hero based art. While I am currently without a studio space, I have changed my focus on smaller 2-D projects, rather than the sculpture based work of my tea cups (of which I will go back to as soon as I can). 

I did involve myself in the May Artwalk of Bellingham, and did a collaboration project through Make Shift and their Monster Mash exhibit. It was a really fun and creative project where they worked together with a group of young students who drew their versions of monsters, then assigned each student to a local artist, who then made a piece of art interpretation of their monster. I loved the collaboration and community involvement!

I would like to do another version of the monster mash for a future collaborative art project with students from a school and another art gallery  & I'm working on that with the community. It would be a project for next school year, & has the potential to be an amazing experience for many. I'm really excited about all of it and to see how things progress.

I'm looking forward to a new chapter in my life, the arts, teaching, and moving forward to a better place. It will take time and hard work, but I know in my heart that it will be worth it. Signing off for now, but I will return to the blog shortly. Cheers!