I am fascinated with all aspects of design and new media. My work includes a variety of mediums including: graphic design, website design, furniture and lighting design, animation, video, photography, watercolor and acrylic painting and mixed media. Art and design are an important part of me and I have over twenty years of marketing & promotion and design experience and I have been teaching for over twenty years.
My Elementary Students Work at Busan International Foreign School
Kindergarten to Fifth Grade
Students created a variety of two and three-dimensional STEAM projects which often corresponded with their classroom science and social studies units. I wrote the curriculum for the Maker Space which was offered for the first time to K-5. The goal of this hands on learning was to expose students to a variety of challenging problems and for students to work individually as well as collaboratively and to understand the connection that science, technology, engineering, art and math have to each other. Elementary units included: Bioengineering, Energy, Color, Building Stable Structures, Insects, The Ocean, The Solar System, Nature, Native American Design and Architecture.
My Middle School Students Work at the Busan International Foreign School
In a semester long course students learned the design process and kept track of each step in their sketchbooks. Projects included the design of personal logos, package design, 3D keychains created in Tinkercad and printed on our 3D printers, character design (and a corresponding poster, book cover, paper collage, comic strip and stuffie), mask design, digital poster design and a fully functional cardboard arcade.
My High School Students Work at Busan International Foreign School
The high school students studied Ecological Design five days a week for the whole school year. Students worked through a series of projects creating two and three-dimensional design, interactive design, written works and presentations. Projects included: mask design, a three-dimensional Halloween display, Ecological sculptures using recycled materials (including a design statement and interactive exhibition), the creation of a fictitious Eco Design company (including a logo, a website, company description, 3D keychain created in Tinkercad for our 3D printer and poster), "Trashion Show" (garments made from recycled and repurposed materials, a presentation and runway show) and a architectural unit which included a presentation and a series of architectural models.
My Elementary Students Work at Countryside School
Kindergarten and First grade
Illustrated children’s books are read at the beginning of each lesson as inspiration for the students. Students create a variety of directed drawings while slowly easing into creating illustrations on their own. My goal for each student was to gain confidence in his or her artistic abilities. After each initial drawing a variety of materials were used to add color including colored pencils, charcoal pencils, watercolors, markers, pastels and crayons. Three-dimensional arts and crafts projects are also created using recycled materials, paper and clay.
Second and Third Grade
For the "even" years in my curriculum the second and third grade students travel throughout the history of art chronologically. We begin our adventure in prehistoric times and we end the school year by creating conceptual artwork. Each week students learn about a different style, time period and civilization. Students create both two and three-dimensional artwork inspired by the time period we are currently visiting. The goal of the class is to learn about and appreciate different civilizations, styles of art and medium while developing skills and gaining confidence.
Fourth and Fifth Grade
During the "even" years of my curriculum the fourth and fifth grade classes travel around the world examining art and culture. Students create a variety of two and three-dimensional arts and crafts inspired by the countries we visit. Students gain an appreciation and respect for diverse cultures around the world. Examples of projects include masks from the Pende tribe of the Democratic Republic of Congo, milk carton houses inspired by architectural styles, interior design plans inspired by Moroccan Designer Karim Rashid, Islamic tile illustrations and Russian Matryoshka nesting doll illustrations. Students have homework sketches due biweekly. They are given a directed drawing to follow but they can illustrate the image on their own if they choose to. The homework is given to help students practice their drawing and shading skills and to build confidence in their artistic abilities. Many parents and grandparents who were born outside of the U.S. or have family in other countries visit our classroom to share their knowledge. Students also create entries for “News Gazette Design An Ad Contest” and insect illustrations for the “University of Illinois Insect Fear Film Festival Art Contest.”
My Middle School Students Work at Countryside School
Sixth and Seventh grade
Students begin their quarter of Visual Art class by reviewing the principles of two-dimensional design. I remind them that art and design can and should have meaning and power. Weekly homework sketches are due each Tuesday. Students chose their subject matter. Skills include working on on page layout and composition, shading, color, texture, visual interest and a focal point. My goal for middle school is to develop each student’s confidence while they enjoy working on a variety of two- and three-dimensional art and design projects. We live in a visual world where we are bombarded by visual images and messages. It is important that students feel confident in their abilities to decipher these messages and to be a part of this visual language. Examples of projects include personal logo designs, family ancestry posters, acrylic non-objective paintings on canvas, oil pastel drawings inspired by Pablo Picasso, self-portraits inspired by Frida Kahlo, illustrations using various alphabets other than English, Zentangle group mural, logos for the "Doodle for Google" contest, advertisements for the “News Gazette Design An Ad Contest” and insect illustrations for the “University of Illinois Insect Fear Film Festival Art Contest.”
Eighth Grade
Students begin their quarter of Visual Art class by reviewing the principles of two-dimensional design. I remind them that art and design can and should have meaning and power. Weekly homework sketches were due each Tuesday. Students chose their subject matter. Skills include working on on page layout and composition, shading, color, texture, visual interest and a focal point. My goal for middle school is to develop each student’s confidence while they enjoy working on a variety of two- and three-dimensional art and design projects.
Examples of projects include Social Issue Posters, Native American Gourd Painting, Native American Clay Mask Sculptures, Cereal Box Packaging Design and Recycled Art Sculptures.
After school Clubs (Kindergarten - Eighth Grade) at Countryside School
I teach a variety of after school clubs five days a week.
High School Students Work at the British American School, Mexico
I taught seven different subjects at the British American School of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. These are examples of work from my art, graphic design and computer classes.
The students in graphic design created most of their work by hand while students in the computer class learned digital software such as Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and Premiere.
Students in the middle school at the British American School are given the opportunity to take an art course of their choice on Friday afternoons. I taught the traditional art course to seventh, eighth and ninth graders. A variety of art materials and themes were explored including the use of paint, mixed media, three dimensional modeling, mural design, and drawing. The students explore the vast arena of art. They are exposed to both current trends in art as well as the historical perspective. Each student is expected to take notes in a sketchbook and draw a weekly homework assignment. Students learn the basics of drawing, shading and three-dimensional modeling.
My University Students Work from the University of Kansas and the American Academy of Art
I began my teaching career at the University of Kansas where I taught “Visual Communications” to undergraduate students. I taught this course for a year and a half while I was in graduate school. Next I taught thirteen different design courses to undergraduate and graduate students at the American Academy of Art in downtown Chicago. I also taught a web design class at Robert Morris University in Chicago. Examples of work include hand drawn typeface designs, personal logo designs, advertisements, store front window displays, “happy space” three-dimensional models, computer illustrations and designer and typography posters.