This is my story
"If I could
Hello! |
I am an incurable creator, licensed designer & crafter of my brand Design Poetry & owner/innkeeper of The Connecticut River Valley Inn. My B&B is my canvas for creativity & experimentation for art application in unusual ways and a place for relaxation & enjoyment & discovery for my guests, friends & family.
or if it was a new direction I took as an adult. The answer is....
One of my earliest encouragements in the world of art was while in the second grade winning first place for my “library scene” submitted for Book Week at school. I remember the scene I drew of a young girl sitting at a desk reading a book with a stack of books sitting beside her. What was interesting about the piece was that I painted the library floor in a black and white check pattern. (I think it impressed the judges being that I drew the floor in perspective!) I still like black and white design.... you will see it on the 4 season porch at our B&B today. You will also see me reference it in my art and design work. It's such a classic yet contemporary look! You will also see that I like to incorporate a black/white pattern in a lot of my designs (my website avatar is an example)
As an early teen bored with my white bedroom walls, I took it upon myself to go buy pink, green and white paint and paint my ceiling plaid! I thought my Dad would kill me especially since I didn’t ask permission, but he accepted it and actually grew to like it. My Dad was not really big on colorful decorating ideas. But he did encourage me to go to a trade school, advice I did not take. I'll tell you more about that another time when I'll talk about the importance of trade schools over college for many young people.
In the years my income has been derived from design, I like to apply my designs into functional art. I learned block printing in high school, but I didn't just block print a price of art to be framed & hung, I block printed fabric, then made a really cute summer dress.
Same thing with macrame... a macrame wall hanging didn't cut it for me. Instead I made macrame window coverings!
I consider myself more a designer than an artist, especially now that I incorporate my art with computer technology. I am self taught in using computer technology to expand my artistic and design creativity. I love the technology as I can experiment endlessly with my designs.
HIGH SCHOOL…. Before I became so involved with computer technology, actually before that technology even existed, I filled all my high school free classes (electives) with art related courses such as oil painting, pastels, charcoal, graphics, pottery, copper relief, lino/block printing and sculpture. I had a great art teacher… His well rounded, comprehensive teaching of many art disciplines helped me gain appreciation for and learn to incorporate these art disciplines into my style as it exists today.
….what was a girl to do?
But, eventually there were no more art classes left to take in high school….what was a girl to do? I asked my art teacher if I could have all my study halls transferred to his classroom. There I could practice anything I wanted. My art teacher also recommended I take an industrial arts class…. That was in 1969…. Girls did not take industrial arts classes. But they let me take them. Although I learned basic industrial drafting (a skill that would later change my life… More about that at another time!) I also got the opportunity to design and build my own model home, another layer of learning which would shape my future.
to be continued.....