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Born: October 8, 1971, Garland, TX Childhood Experience: Attended numerous gem and mineral shows with parents and learned cutting and mounting of semi-precious stones. Mothers employment as seamstress lead to very early exposure in design, color, fashion, and handcraft. 1982-1989: 1st attendance & employment at Scarborough Faire Renaissance Festival. Work experince include working with potters, jewelry artists, woodworkers, blacksmithing, textile, & glass artist. Particapation and training with Scarborough Academy of the Performing Arts 1988: Study and employment with Beshar’s Designs. Work included studio jewelry production in silver plate, wire, and stone mounting. 1989-1993: Study with traditional Lakota bead artists. Interest in traditional native art forms leads to creation of full Native American Pow-Wow Dance Regalia along with numerous other native artforms. Including bead & leatherwork, featherwork, paint, woodwork, and carving. 1991-1993: Employment in graphic novel/comic book industry. Promotions for Caliber Press and Artist Liason/Associate Editor and co-founder of Mockingbird Press. 1994-1995: Volunteer work in theatrical productions and dinner theatres. Work included prop and set design, construction, and decoration. Interest continues thru today. 1994-1995: Employment as manager for Nomadic Notions/Artistic Imports Inc. Duties included buying of fine gifts, imports, and beads. Repair of both vintage and modern beaded jewelry pieces. Creation of custom and presentation beaded jewelry. Development and teaching of educational and historical classes. 1996: Founding member of Traveling Artist Co-Op, Turtle Clan Designs. Involved in creation and marketing of beaded jewelry and Native American inspired leatherwork. Began life-long collaboration with Leah Lyle (Odom) 1996(Fall): Employment at Maryland Renaissance Festival with award-winning coppersmith, Ciel Whitebrook. Work included copper cutting, design sculpture assembly. 1997: Founded Miscellaneous Oddiments with Leah Lyle (Odom). Began study with Lauren Raine of Rainewalker Studios learning sculptural leather mask making. 1998: Purchased Flying Rainbow Bubblewands at the Maryland Renaissance Festival. Involved in creating sculptural wire work and children's toys, retail sales and management of employees. 1998-1999: Employment with Nierman Weeks as Design Associate. Studio duties included decorative and faux finishes on furniture, fixtures, and lighting. Also design, development and hardware detail work. 1999: Began full-time self employment in handcraft field with Flying Rainbow Bubble Wands. 2000: Began interest in meditative Labyrinth design, construction and use. Began involvement with The Labyrinth Society. Catalog production work for Rainwalker Studios. 2000-2002: Set design, decoration, and faux finishing for Paragon Stage/Triffles Dinner Theater. 2002: Dissolution of collaboration with Rainwalker Studios. Purchase of mask display booth at Maryland Renaissance Festival. Complete recreation of line to reflect designs exclusive of Miscellaneous Oddiments LLC. Fully independent business. 2003:Addition of our newest oddiment, Ellawyn Sybil Odom, born August 22, the day before Maryland Renaissance Festival began. 2004-2005: Enrolled in the American Craft Council Mentor Program. See Business reference. 2005: Began artistic and editoral association with Faerie Magazine and Pirates Magazine, quarterly publications displaying the best in fantasy art and literature.
"BILL MOYERS: Do you ever have the sense of... being helped by hidden hands?
JOSEPH CAMPBELL: All the time. It is miraculous. I even have a superstition that has grown on me as a result of invisible hands coming all the time - namely, that if you do follow your bliss you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living. When you can see that, you begin to meet people who are in your field of bliss, and they open doors to you. I say, follow your bliss and don't be afraid, and doors will open where you didn't know they were going to be.
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My general formula for my students is "Follow your bliss." Find where it is, and don't be afraid to follow it.
- Joseph Campbell, The Power of Myth with Bill Moyers | |
