The fiber arts, particularly weavings, are my media of choice for expression of my artistic inspirations and a source of great joy. I love teaching and interacting with others who want to broaden their knowledge. My goal when working with others in the fiber arts is to enable them to more fully express themselves through their media of choice. To attain this, groups I work with usually want to learn techniques beyond the basics. Sometimes, more substantial involvement is necessary, both on the artistic side as well as the business and design sides, , honing their skills to create marketable items, since financial success is often an essential component for groups with which I work.
My 28 years of experience as an international consultant in the fiber arts began in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands where I taught spinning and weaving, discovered and analyzed local natural dyes, and was president and founding member of the local weaving guild.. It was in St. Croix that my self expression through weaving emerged more fully.
When we moved back to the US in 1989, I worked extensively with children in the public school systems as a fiber artist when I was not teaching science part time at the local science center. Two highlights of my work with children were my development of a Fibers Arts Month for one school (which, as a result, became an Arts Infusion school) and an Artist-in-Residency at another elementary school in Maryland.
Our move to Kenya in January 2000 coincided with my decision to pursue weaving full time. Since I am a teacher at heart, I soon was working with local weaving groups which were receptive to changes. In July 2010, we moved back to the US. I have seen this major life move as another opportunity to grow and to promote weaving worldwide.
The logic, discipline and insightful thinking required during my scientific training have enable me to easily shift my thinking towards strategic management and long term planning methods to improve the craft and art of weaving and other fiber arts. These skills have been invaluable in Kenya in particular when I have worked with emerging fiber related small businesses. It has been through my work in Kenya that I have realized how integral working with others is to my own creative process.
I am comfortable working with people of diverse backgrounds, ages and skill levels and share some of these activities in my Blog. Go to my Outreach page for more details on how you can get involved with improving livelihoods in Kenya through promotion of the fiber arts. I also thrive on challenges to execute original pieces, translating vision into art. Some of those processes are described under the section Inspiration and an assortment of completed art pieces are found in my Art Gallery. In depth articles on the traditional crafts of Eastern Africa are found under Articles.
My life experiences in the US, the Caribbean and most recently, in Kenya, contribute significantly to how I perceive art, my environment, and how I deal with others from diverse backgrounds and of diverse ages.