31 Days of Thanks: Day 4
I was first introduced to world renowned fabric artist, Penny Sisto, at a special leadership seminar my freshman year of high school. After hearing Penny speak and seeing her amazing quilts, I knew I wanted to shadow her through my school’s shadowing program. It took a few months, but the stars finally aligned and there I was spending the day in Penny’s studio. With Penny’s guidance, I made a wall hanging in less than a day, painting the background, creating the person, and quilting it all together. As I was sewing the person together, Penny cut the bird out for me to put in the figure’s hands. Ironically and unbeknownst to Penny, at the time I was reading “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” in English class. It was meant to be. I went home that day and proudly professed to my parents, “I know what I want to be when I grow up. I want to be a fabric artist!” Thank you Penny for inspiring me to be what I have...
Read More31 Days of Thanks: Day 3
One of the reasons I chose to go to high school at Presentation Academy was because of its leadership program. At the helm was leadership coordinator, Ms. Hall. As a prospective 8th grader, the potential to take days off of school to shadow women in career fields that interest me was very intriguing. Ms. Hall made it possible for me to shadow a fabric artist and a dresser on a Broadway show. While I will talk about the women I shadowed another day, today is dedicated to Ms. Hall for making the connections that enabled me to start on the path toward my future careers. Thanks Ms....
Read More31 Days of Thanks: Day 2
20+ years later I still remember sitting in my second grade art class making a painting of a clown. My teacher, Mr. Jones, guided us step by step as we painted his expression and black tux with some sort of tie. It has been years since I have seen that painting. I am sure it is around here somewhere and once I come across it I may have to frame it and hang it proudly in my studio. I recall my painting, which I later entitled “Mr. Sad”, had a flower in his black top hat. I do not consider myself much of a painter these days. I prefer to dye outside the lines and without the confinement of a brushstroke. But for a second grader, my painting ability was clearly a step up from the finger paintings I brought home in day care. After I finished the painting, I remember going with mom to get a mat for Mr. Sad in order to enter him in the Kentucky State Fair. I think that was the first year I entered my artwork in the fair. On opening day mom and I went aisle by aisle through the Junior Division, searching for Mr. Sad. We had virtually given up our quest and mom consoled me and explained that perhaps we did not follow the entry rules and my painting was disqualified. We turned the corner to look for another entry, and there, high, high up on the peg board wall surround by all of the special purchase prize and merit award winners was Mr. Sad, with not one but TWO blue ribbons! In fact, Mr. Sad won a first place ribbon and a Palette Club Merit Award rosette ribbon. For a second grader and a state fair novice, having two blue ribbons was pretty awesome. That painting ignited a love for entering my artwork in the Kentucky State Fair and perhaps art competitions in general. Over the years I have been awarded over 100 ribbons at the Kentucky State Fair. I won the Junior Textile Sweepstakes Award twice and a Best of Show Award in the Hobbies division. While I have not entered anything into the fair for a number of years, I think back to Mr. Jones from time to time and remember the budding artist he inspired when I painted Mr. Sad. Thank you Mr....
Read More31 Days of Thanks: Day 1
When I think back to how I became an artist the first person I think of is my mom. She may not have one ounce of artistic ability in her and cannot even sew on a button, but that did not stop her from instilling a love of the arts in me. I remember her taking me to local art shows like the Saint James Court Art Show and the Ursuline Art Fair when I was little. Artists knew mom and they would say to her, “I see you have your shadow today.” That was me. I was mom’s shadow on the art show circuit. As a child I remember mom enrolling me in summer sports camps. She tried, but playing sports was not my thing. Then she started enrolling me in art programs. I was in heaven. I took workshops with The Little Loomhouse and some of these early artworks still hang at the Jeffersontown Library children’s section. I took after school classes and summer camps with the Louisville Visual Arts Association. And eventually mom enrolled me in week long sewing camps at Baer Fabrics. I cannot imagine what my life would have turned out to be like without these opportunities that have formed the basis of my love of art and fibers. Thanks...
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