Who I Am:
I'm a grey-haired lady living quietly in the mountains of Western Maryland. My husband and both my kids also work in the arts. I earned my BFA in Crafts (Ceramics & Fiber) from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1977, and worked full-time as a sculptor for the Monumental Construction and Moulding Company in Washington DC for several years in the 1980s, followed by working in that trade freelance ever since.
Ornamental moulding featuring sculpture I've created adorns many famous landmarks in Washington DC, as well as many other sites in North America (CV). I made the column capitals used in the reproduction of the Temple of Solomon on the top floor of the Landmark Masonic Temple in Alexandria VA. I did the sculpture but never visited the site: women still aren't allowed in there. In the 1980s, the Masons didn't ask whether a building contractor might have had a female Senior Sculptor. I don't know what they'd do if they knew. Shhh...
Some of my original wall sculpture has been licensed by retailers Design Toscano and Sacred Source, and sold worldwide.
In collaboration with my husband, Carl Anderson, I've done cell animation for NASA, the Defense Logistics Agency, and the Deep Carbon Observatory. I love jobs like those because doing the research is fascinating.
Long ago I was a singer/songwriter in a band called Seventh Dawn, and a couple of our albums have been re-released in recent years, thanks to people rediscovering rare folk/acid-rock albums on vinyl.
Knitting, crochet, weaving, and sewing my own designs are a perennial passion. It's more of a hobby, but as a result, I invented the Finishing Needle, now licensed and sold by Susan Bates.
What I Do:
I make all kinds of things, as this portfolio illustrates, but my primary work is sculpture made using the techniques of traditional architectural ornament. I learned the sculptor's role in that trade almost straight out of art school, and I love its versatility.
The process starts with shaping clay to make the model. If the work is for an ornamental moulding company, such as Monumental Plaster Moulding, LLC (a descendent of my old employer MCMC), the clay model may be all they need: they take it from there. Otherwise, I make my own rubber mold, remove the clay (which is reused over and over) and then make a hydrocal plaster casting. Usually I refine this casting of the sculpture further, making a second mold from the perfected model, and casting the final piece from that second mold. (Sometimes I add something more and make yet another mold; the process can be repeated many times in the making of complex ornamental moulding.) If the design is licensed, I send a pristine casting to the licensee, who then makes their own molds. The licensee casts multiple copies, markets and sells them, and I receive a small percentage in royalties. I like that arrangement because it allows me to move on and make something new.
These days I am mostly working on commissioned wall sculpture: portraits, plaques, and memorials. And of course I continue to do ornamental molding sculpture for the trade, both new elements and restorations. If you are looking for an experienced pro in those areas, you've found her.
I like to relax with fiberwork in the evenings (when I don't have too many cats in my lap.) Currently I'm crocheting a big rug for our living room.
To see my CV, please click here.