How did you get started in your artistic career?
Mine is not a typical artistic journey. Although I’ve always been a creative soul, but I expressed myself more with words rather than things I’ve done with my hands. In grade school art classes where everybody did the same project, my cotton ball bunnies were in the “sad” kind of group. A few were really good. Mine were always in the middle to sad group. My sisters grew up doing beautiful needlework of various kinds, but I just couldn’t do that. Following all those directions made me anxious. About 50 years ago, I was at a craft show in San Fransisco and was drawn to a little basket and I bought it for 10 dollars, which was a lot of money back then. I just had to have it though. I actually bought it as a gift, but I just kept it for myself. Decades later, in Texas, I saw a display sign for a class in Pine Needle Basketry and I signed up immediately. Everybody who knew me was astounded because everybody knew I couldn’t do anything like that, but I didn’t care. When the class was over, I immediately signed up and took it again. I was just hungry to learn more
about this. When I start a basket, to this day, I just hold the beads and pine needles for a while. I still have that feeling of blood going through my veins.
What advice do you have for emerging artists?
Do what makes you feel good and accept other people’s ideas. There is no right and wrong and I think it’s important to love what you do and do what you love. If it makes you smile and warms your heart then you’ve done what you needed to do. I think it’s important to keep learning and expanding then I’d say you’re on the right track.