2004 / Mural Project 1	2006 / Mural Project 2	2007 / Mural Project 3	2007 / Mural Project 4

For thirty years, I have taught clay classes in the Sonoma community to adults, and to children in each of the elementary schools, often through grants from organizations such as California Art Council, Sonoma County Community Foundation, and Sonoma Valley Educational Foundation. I have also led teacher in-service workshops, for which I wrote a handbook, to help the teachers incorporate clay activities into their class curriculum. In the last four years, I have been mainly designing and directing large painted mural projects, in Sonoma, and then in San Rafael.  

As a teacher, I am very accessible. I encourage my students to express themselves, to experiment and to use divurgent thinking to solve problems. In my class lessons, I always begin with a demonstration of a specific project to excite the imagination and a new technique to develop their skill. I bring examples of my own work, as well as pieces from other artists, including other cultures and periods in history. n all media, we work with strengthening our powers of observation, often focusing on aspects of nature and the environment. When constructing a sculpture our concerns are also structural, e.g.- how to balance a piece so that it stands up and with clay, making sure that it is well connected and proper thickness for successful drying and firing.

Having worked with all ages, and a variety of populations, such as: ESL Programs, Gifted and Talented Program, Santa Rosa Junior College Seniors Program, I often bring together generations: parents with children, senior citizens with elementary students, creating clay sculpture and painted or ceramic tile murals. As my recent teaching projects have been community murals, I have included documentation of our process and creations here. Three of the murals were done directly onto the existing walls, one stucco and two wood. The fourth project was done on new wooden panels in the art room, so we had the advantage of leaving our materials all set up and not having to fight the elements of sun, rain, wind, while we worked. This facilitated a detailed project that took considerable concentration.

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