Educational Background/Training

Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education, University of Virginia

Master of Arts in Adult and Higher Education, University of Oklahoma

Over 30 years of workshops and classes in a variety of disciplines, including drawing, painting and paper arts.

Maggie’s experience as a classroom teacher and with adult training has informed her style of teaching art with students of all ages.  Her instructional design background ensures she can tailor a program to your needs.

One of Maggie’s loves is teaching people how to expand their creativity by altering books.  A true beginner can master the book-folding technique and have a unique artwork to share with others.

About the Artist/Ensemble

Maggie’s main artistic focus is on Altered Books and paper-arts, though she is also skilled with watercolor, acrylic and drawing. Since 2011, Maggie has focused almost entirely on creating artworks that explore the connection between the conceptual aspect of books and the creative output of the artwork. She uses books to create sculptural pieces, 2D artworks and installations. Her techniques include cutting, folding, carving, painting, paper-casting and various other exploratory techniques that sometimes include deconstruction and/or reconstruction.

Maggie’s art has been exhibited in local galleries and exhibitions as well as regional and national locations, including Artfields in SC (Award of Merit) and Made in Virginia at the Virginia MOCA.  While some artworks are playful in nature, Maggie also encourages her viewers to explore serious themes such as climate change, social issues and current events.

Maggie’s background in teaching and training informs her ability to tailor a program to the needs of the audience.  Every person has a creative vein.  With a supportive atmosphere and skillful instruction, everyone can explore their creativity and be proud of their accomplishments.

Educational Program Description

Heart Book Sculpture (3 hrs.)

In this session, participants learn folding techniques for transforming a book into a heart-shaped sculpture.  Books and materials are provided.  This workshop is appropriate for children ages 10 and up, as well as adults.  This book-folding project is not appropriate for populations with cognitive/memory difficulties.  For those populations, another more accessible book-altering project can be developed.

Altering Books (3 hrs., full day or multi-day)

Participants are introduced to examples of different techniques for altering books.  For a shorter session, a single technique will be demonstrated, and participants will use that technique with the book of their choice. For longer workshops, participants will choose from a variety of techniques to transform their chosen book into an artwork.   Some example projects include the Heart Book Sculpture, Carving a Book Box, Fortune Cookie/Take-Out Box, Paper Mache Creations, and more.  The session will be tailored to the needs of the hosting group.

School-based Residency (3 hrs. minimum and up to 5 days)

Elementary, Middle School or High School students will create an original altered book using a variety of media or techniques.  This residency is also appropriate for staff-enrichment and/or art teacher professional development requirements.

Objectives include:

• Exploring examples of Altered Books and techniques.
• Selecting a book and developing creative concepts for the project.
• Guided time for executing the artworks.
• A session on the Heart Book Sculpture folding technique, if requested and time allows.
• Virginia SOLs will be identified and addressed throughout the residency.
• A rubric for teacher assessment will also be provided.

This residency is unique and beneficial for learners because it explores a niche art genre. While artists have been altering books for decades, it has only recently become more prevalent. There are few professional artists who work and teach these techniques. Maggie will share her own experiences of trial and error with altering books and show the variety of ways that artists can explore this medium.

Maggie will happily collaborate with the teacher/facilitator to adjust or adapt based on the needs of the students.

Fees

The hourly fee for a part-day workshop is $100 per hour (including travel time).

A day-long or multi-day workshop is $600 per day.

Other travel expenses will be determined by the location and workshop times.

Audiences

• Elementary Students
• Secondary (Middle/High School) Students
• College/University Students
• Adults