I graduated in December 2008 from the University of New Hampshire with a double major in Studio Art and Psychology. While at UNH I studied ceramics and focused on wheel throwing, hand building and tile work. I love this art medium and the fact that it creates endless opportunities for an artist.
During college, I spent 3 summers teaching pottery at Camp Inter-Actions, a camp for children who are blind and visually impaired. I had the opportunity to assist the campers on the pottery wheel as well as teaching them how to build pinch pots, coil pots and other art projects. The campers taught me a lot too! They reminded me how important texture can be to a piece of art. Since then, I have taken on a new approach to my own artwork.
After college, I enjoyed teaching art classes and private art lessons at 3 local studios: Main Street Art in Newfields, Y-Arts in Exeter, and MusicalArts in North Hampton. As a teacher, I strive to design classes that are both educational and fun. I believe part of being an art teacher is creating fresh activities that will allow students to build self-confidence and grow as artists.
More recently, I've focused on finishing my master’s degree that specializes in museum accessibility. My studies even brought me to London, England, where I had the opportunity to interview the Accessibility Coordinator at the British Museum! For my capstone project I completed an internship at the Currier Museum of Art. I worked on solving accessibility issues with the museum’s audio tour and updating the museum’s tactile kits to provide more cohesive learning tools.
I enjoy being an artist because it gives me the opportunity to create artwork that I have built with my own two hands. We live in a world where it is easy to run out to the store and buy a material item, but how many times a day can you hold something in your hands and think 'I created this'. I truly believe art is a great outlet for people of all ages and a wonderful way to fill your time in a positive and creative way.