Rocks In Your Head ... in the beginning
Fiber |
Inspired by a contemporary fiber exhibit in her hometown of Chicago, Chris began her journey through fine crafts with an exploration of weaving. While living in Hawaii during the mid-70's, she continued studies with classes at the Honolulu Academy of Arts and Bishop Museum. There was a very strong community of weavers on Oahu so classes and supplies were as abundant as the inspiration of (excuse the cliche) living in paradise! Her husband, who was then a Navy pilot, was on deployment much of their time on the Island, so it was a perfect opportunity for a total immersion in the craft. She went on to teach adult leisure classes in creative off-loom weaving techniques at the University of Hawaii and Hickham Air Force Base.
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Photography |
Just before the tour of duty in Hawaii ended, Chris learned she was expecting and the loom took a back seat to learning to "document" the new little person who would soon be in their lives. Her husband's Mother's Day gift of an SLR camera before the baby was born had Chris taking as many photography classes as she could while she could still fit in the darkroom, which became a tighter squeeze as the months passed!
It's now the early 80's. The move from Oahu to Milton, Florida was quite a culture shock. Adjusting to motherhood was wonderful, but adjusting to life in a small town in the Panhandle of Florida that boasted only a Piggly-Wiggly grocery store and a TG&Y five-and-dime required a little more serious creative outlet. Chris enrolled in photography classes but was taken somewhat aback when the instructor announced at the first class: no kid pictures and no dog pictures. That required an academic approach and an exploration of photography as art, making this course of study challenging intellectually, technically and artisticlally. Unfortunately, the town didn't Milton didn't enjoy the same artistic growth as Chris, but eventually it was time to move on to Norfolk, VA. The Chrysler Museum in Norfolk was the first (and one of the few) museums in the country to accept photography as a fine art, so it was easy to find other art photographers with whom to mingle in this photography mecca of sorts. When Chris's husband deployed again, the walk-in closet in the master bedroom became the darkroom as she prepared for a three-artist gallery exhibit. Norfolk was the last tour of duty for her husband and it was decided that perhaps moving closer to Grandma in Florida would be good for everybody, especially for that "only grandchild" who was now in 1st grade. With Grandma just around the corner, Chris got a job using her phtography skills in the Public Relations Department of Stetson University. |
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So, it's the early 90's now and Chris is working in the darkroom at the university. Oddly enough, it was an assignment to photograph a Native American Pow-Wow on campus that prompted Chris to start thinking about making jewelry. One of the artists there was wearing wonderful, "shoulder-dusting" earrings with long, long fringes of turquoise and seed beads. She was also selling little stone chips -- turquoise, black onyx and other tiny gems. Even though money was at its tightest for the family, there was something so hypnotic about it that Chris splurged and bought some stone chips from the woman, certain she could "do something" wonderful with them... and so her business Rocks In Your Head began. Working with Chris in the Public Relations Department were eight other women-- and six of them had pierced ears. So, armed with just a few turquoise chips and black onyx chips, round-nose pliers and flush-cutters, Chris combined those stones every which way you could and came to work with a shoebox full of earrings. Her co-workers became her first customers. That initial "investment" was the only time her business dipped into the family's "cookie jar." Eager to learn more about jewelry making, Chris saw that the YMCA had a class. It was there that she first picked up a jewelers saw. She joined the local gem and mineral clubs and expanded her circle of jewelry-makers. Through those people, she learned of another group that taught jewelry classes-- The Florida Society of Goldsmiths. Before long, it became apparent that working as a photographer was less financially and personally rewarding so Chris "quit her day job" as they say and never looked back -- except to get together to "do lunch" with some of those wonderful colleagues. |
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Chris's nearly 18 year association with FSG has been an important one for her. It provided the opportunity to study with some of the most respected artists and inspiring teachers in the country through their many classes and Winter Workshop program -- including J. Fred Woell, Todd Reed, Andy Cooperman, John Cosgwell, Mary Ann Scherr, Marilynn Nicholson, Tom McCarthy, and so many others. Just as important, she has made some wonderful friends as a result of that association. Her appreciation of those opportunities has resulted in her continued service to her local chapter, particularly to the continuation of their annual Winter Workshop to bring the same opportunities she valued so much to others. |