independent artist. I have many years experience in visual media as well as
various hobby medias such as stitchery, clay, and jewelry making.
As a certified art teacher and seoncdary English/language arts
teacher, I have 26 years experience teaching grades k-12 invisual arts as well
as English, Drama, and Reading. I have directed and produced student
performances, as well as helped students with admissions to college and the
Kentucky Arts Camp for secondary students. I have worked in specialization in
gifted education and have taught gifted students in the visual and language
arts areas. I have participated as a teacher at Western Kentucky University in
their summer program for gifted teens and Super Saturdays fall and winter
class for elementary students.
I have been an active member of the Kentucky Arts Education
Association and served as its state secretary for three years. I had to
terminate my membership in 1997 while fighting cancer. I later rejoined the
group and in 2004 I was named KAEA's Middle School Art Teacher of the Year
and will receive the award for that honor in Boston in March of 2005.
Jewelry has been a love of mine since I was very small and would
meander through my mother's jewelry box as well as my grandmother's button
boxes. I had little idea that those contacts would influence the work I would
later love to do. When I was ten I got an "Indian Placemat" beading set and
learned to do a beading style I would later learn was called Peyote Stitch. I
worked at that time with large bamboo beads and two needles. To this day I
encourage people who are just starting with peyote to start with the two
needle approach. It helps with tension and it is easier to manipulate.
Wirework began for me with wire sculptures in art classes. There I
learned some of the basics about guage and flexibility and the properties of
various wires. It was not until the 1990's that I got to experiment with
sterling silver when I got a jewelry catalog in my school mail. I bought
beginner kits and taught myself.
Working with beads has placed me in a position to meet so many
wonderful people and I encourage anyone starting out in jewelry to surround
themselves with others that are interested in that venue. Take a class, buy
books and practice, practice, practice. Do NOT be afraid to make mistakes! I
always tell my students:
There are no mistakes in art...only creative
detours!
Susan Lackey
