EXTRACURRICULAR INTERESTS

(current or relatively recent interests that consume me and my precious little spare time)

 

 (check out the links):

 

ART GLASS i have a working studio where i fuse, slump, enamel, etch and torch-work glass;  Dale Chihuly is one artist whose work i admire, the Society of Glass Beadmakers has interesting pages, and Orient and Flume was a major early inspiration.  i also do cold glass work; currently combining colored glass fragments and strips with smooth river stones and pebbles in sculptural container forms.  check out the world of mosaics at Mosaic Matters.  had a show recently in georgetown (wash, d.c.) featuring my glass plates and mosaic vases, among other pieces.

 

METAL WORK progressed naturally from working with glass enamels; i like to etch champleve patterns into copper. did a barrette with randomly placed transverse spinal cord sections.  also working with PRECIOUS METAL CLAY, a clay-like compound of micron-sized pure metal, either gold or silver, suspended in an organic binder.  any item can be formed by hand and kiln-fired, resulting in a piece of pure metal.  i made a lapel pin in the form of a human brain to wear during a job interview (got the job!).  also made a brooch with the names of brain cells dangling freely.  see the PMC site for a slide show gallery.   you can fuse works of silver onto glass!!  I’m now playing with forming containers and vessels. 

 

OFF-LOOM, JAPANESE GLASS BEAD WEAVING

Caravan Beads is my source for delica beads (they are glass, tiny, made with laser cuts.  it takes 1000 beads to weave a square inch)  i use in weaving (off-loom) new bodies for antique metal purse frames, circa 1890. i also make 3D woven bead sculptures; a current project is a series of various jellyfish species for a mobile.  they are anatomically correct.  the repetitive movements of beading have an oddly meditative effect. 

 

JEWELRY  all this work with glass, metals, and beads ended up morphing into making fine jewelry ....i don't wear much jewelry but friends and family wear my pieces, containing precious and semi-precious stones, gold, silver and natural materials, and of course beading.  i have taught many friends and co-workers how to design and execute original pieces of their own.  once you make your own jewelry, you can't believe how poorly made commercial pieces are, and what a huge savings there is in making your own.   Rio Grande is the best source of gemstones, tools, supplies, metals, and findings.  my current passion is making chain maille jewelry.  check out Urban Maille’s web site.

 

SKULLS  Skulls Unlimited is a great source of museum-quality skulls, which i collect.  it's a neuro thing.  i also have a spinal column.  my diningroom (no pun intended) has a beautiful 1930’s glass case filled with skulls from many species.

 

COMPUTERS graphics, imaging, and image analysis in particular is an interest of mine.  if you can see it, you can quantify it!  an area of research specialization is quantitative photomicroscopy of neural tissue.  

 

PHOTO-IMAGE TRANSFERS currently experimenting with photoemulsion transfers onto glass and fabric; the stranger the image, the better.  did a series of photomicroscopy spinal cord cross sections onto plate glass, edged in copper,  linked together and wall-mounted with copper chain.

 

long-distance, open-water swimming  Donner Lake and Lake Tahoe in CA are among my favorites for long distance swimming.  it takes me five miles before my speed kicks in….the longer the swim the better. Avila Beach CA also hosts a fun “swim out to the barge and back” portion of their annual triathlon; check out Swimmer’s World web site. 

 

POLYMER CLAY  it’s weird, wacky, colorful, the ultimate plastic; you can make anything and just “fire” it in your home oven to cure it...see the National Polymer Clay Guild site.  i made a series of brain buttons for my lab coat, among myriad other projects.

 

FIBER ARTS particularly abstract, mixed-media constructions, currently designing a beaded fiber sculpture with a neuro theme; have made many off-loom sculptural pieces embedded with objects from nature; also appreciate good old MACHINE SEWING and enjoy a challenge; have sewn a bizarre variety of items ranging from sailboat sails, ballet company and theatre costumes, leather motorcycle seat covers, to teepee skins.  I used to sew my entire wardrobe and clothing for others, but time constraints have limited that pursuit.  also, local fabric stores suck.

 

LANDSCAPING is a recent activity requiring a great deal of study in order to get it right.  i transformed my front yard into a maintenance-free, drought tolerant, evergreen/gray wonderland of Mediterranean natives.  my favorite plant nursery is Monrovia.  locally, i prefer Mendon’s nursery.

 

things i look forward to learning:

 

welding, ironwork, and fine metalwork i want to weld sculptural and furniture pieces, work with wrought iron, and learn the art of mokume gane, an elegant japanese method of layering mixed metals, texturing, and cutting into the layers to reveal patterns.  mixed metals are  fascinating. 

 

NEON SCULPTURE my favorite, it's got everything......it’s glass, it’s light, it’s color; you must see the art film,  “Neon, An Electric Memoir”; check out the International Neon Assoc., and the Museum of Neon Art (MONA) in LA.  of course, i want to sculpt a brain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

return to page:

HOME   HONORS   EDUCATION   GRANTS   MEMBERSHIPS   POSTERS   PUBLICATIONS   RESEARCH   TEACHING  EXTRACURRICULAR