In the spring of 2024, I began my graduate studies journey. My father passed away in November 2023, and I wanted to honor him by furthering my education in Art Education. The University of Florida offers a graduate program that focuses on contemporary and studio art components for graduate students in art education. In my research, I used my knowledge of fiber arts to conduct arts-based, narrative inquiry, and self-study research on my weaving practice. This intensive, intentional look at my process driven art study, allowed me to see the connection to slow approaches in the studio and how they translate to my instruction. Slow making fosters resilience and social-emotional intelligence. My definition of slow making is inspired by the slow movement however a new concept to the field of art education. During my studies our family relocated across the state in Two Rivers, WI. It has been an eventful year and studio production has looked different from previous years. I super proud to present my graduate work. I love sharing my passion for the visual arts with my students. I know that my art practice is informed by my students. I am a better educator and artist because of them. Through slow making students learn to value relationships in materials, people, and time. They find courage and confidence, notice more about the world that surrounds them, with a respect for time as a material. Slow making is a process that enriches art experience through deeper relational learning. 

A six-week self-study of slow making in my art studio revealed that time is a priceless commodity. Time and a slow approach deepen relationships, gaining personal reflection and insight, and a centered approach in all aspects of life. 

In January of 2024, I decided to apply to the University of Florida. I enrolled in their Master of Arts Program for art education. In August of 2024, I began taking classes. I will graduate this August. My study focuses on Slow Making in the field of art education and how it might help overcome feelings of uncertainty. In a world that rushes, perhaps the antidote is a slow approach. 

Pictured is my current work, Garden Table Runner and Placemats. 

In the spring of 2023, I started threading this piece. My father was diagnosed with lung cancer in May, and I was diagnosed with Cushing Syndrome, a mass had grown on my adrenal gland and would need to be removed. It was making my hormones haywire. I was sick and tired, I had gained over thirty pounds, headaches, and palpitations. I was trying to beat a deadline. I was going in for surgery on August 2nd. I finished threading on July 28th. I began teaching on August 23rd. Because it was abdominal surgery I was supposed to do very little for 6-8 weeks. In October I finally was feeling a bit like myself. However, my father went in for emergency gall bladder surgery on November 13th. He was undergoing treatment for lung cancer and was in between chemo and radiation. On November 28th he died, the cancer had traveled to his liver, and spread very quickly when they took his gall bladder. His funeral was on December 5th. I then began the process of taking care of his estate. Over Christmas break I finally wove the piece. It is titled Equinox​, after my mother and father. She was born on the fall equinox and he was born on the spring. My parents complemented each other. In this piece the design in reverse on each side. The beauty of the piece is contrasted with the challenges of this year. It is a piece of patience, process, grief, and healing. 

I began threading seven table top looms in January of 2023. Throughout the remainder of the school year the looms were available for students to weave on. I also had the looms available during my Art Show for the students of St Paul's. 

The rainbow warp

Looms in the classroom

The students love weaving and working with the machines.

Weaving during the art show, looms on the move. 

Last year I acquired five looms in need of some love. This summer my husband and father helped me repair them before we put them in storage. 

Weaving is an art that needs to be kept alive. In my tiny efforts I plan to teach the craft in the future. However it requires a lot of space. 

These have been repaired and safely stored in our dry basement. My dream is to one day unleash them with ambitious students!

It's been a long haul. In 2019 I made the decision to return to school for my second degree in art education and certification. I graduated in 2021 being a "special student" of age, and many of my foundation courses already fulfilled wit my degree in Studio arts. In 2022 I entered a certification program to teach in our parochial school which required intensive study of doctrine and theology. To make things even more complicated I was diagnosed with Cushing's syndrome in March which required an Adrenalectomy. The surgery was scheduled this summer and currently I am in the thick of recovery. I have used my skills I learned all those years ago in cross country; slow and steady wins the race. I have a new piece threaded on my loom, over the course of many months I was able to thread it just before surgery. I will be able to weave in September or October. 

I began measuring warp for the optical illusion piece in early March. The warm colors alternate with the cool and dark colors.

Threading took many months as I completed the last of my theology courses. 

Just before my surgery, I spend a few intense days threading and winding on the loom. I was able to get my piece ready to be woven after my recovery. I look forward to completing it this fall.

Pastoral Stole 2022-23. 

This winter all goes forward in the studio. I was able to complete a few pieces on my looms. First, a purple weaving on the Kessenich Loom. This weaving went to my sister-in-law for Christmas. She was moving to a hospice facility after over a decade battle with terminal breast cancer. Purple is her favorite color and she wore the shawl as she moved. She passed away on December 21, 2023. 
A commission I started in June also came to completion. I wove a pastoral stole in green. I enjoy making the custom stoles as it gives me time to methodically make and meditate as I weave. The stole is pictured on my Schacht Loom. 

​As a Christmas Present to my family I purchased paint by number paintings of our beloved dog Rico. He passed away this October. We were heart broken as his body was failing and his mind sharp. He is greatly missed. Pictured is my daughter Adeline's start on her picture she chose. 

2023 brings more commissioned stoles, blue and red which I will methodically weave. At St.Paul's where I teach art to Kindergarten- eighth grade and social studies to grades kindergarten-third grades I am planning a large collaborative weaving project. I have four of seven looms threaded for the school wide creation. I prepared warp in a rainbow of colors. 
As far as personal art endeavors, I will continue to stitch my art kerchiefs and I have a quiet murmur of a large color project brewing. It has been nice to coast a bit as teaching second grade in the 2021-22 school year along side art was quite the feat. It was a very successful year but not sustainable, I did suffer some burn out. I am thankful for that amazing opportunity to teach in a classroom. I learned so much management wise and formed amazing relationships with those students. I still have them for social studies and art and really enjoy our time together. I have been been embracing the artwork created in my art room and fully recognize the production of my students is an extension of myself. I enjoy sharing my gift of visual art, skill, history, culture, and knowledge. Truly blessed to love what I do.