Magical Mundane Summer art camp
July 2022
aRt + Literature laboratory, Madison, wi
 

A summer art camp for students age 7-10 and 11-14 explored bricolage, a simple construction technique, to recreate and reinterpret their favorite everyday objects. Using common and cast-off mixed-media materials, student artists investigated the life forces and phenomena of objects, and what they communicate about us. Using low-risk prompts and critical thinking, students were inspired to engage the studio through experimentation, collaboration, and play.   

Impressions of Point, 2018-2019
Stevens Point Sculpture Park

A collaboration of nearly 200 community members and local stakeholders that included: Boys and Girls Club of Portage County, Hmong Uplift-CAP Services, Polish Heritage Society, IGNITE, Central WI Community Foundation, Portage County Public Library, Stevens Point Parks Department, the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Waupaca Foundry, CREATE Portage County, PABS, and the Central Rivers Farmshed. Impressions of Point transformed participants from viewer to artist and amplified the voices of underrepresented audiences.

Downpour iron pour, 2017
Stevens Point Sculpture Park

The Stevens Point Sculpture Park hosted an iron pour invitational in partnership with CREATE Portage County, Waupaca Foundry, and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point College of Fine Arts and Communication. The event was part of the annual summer celebration and featured iron casters from across the US. 

​

The event included new artwork by Yousif Del Valle, , Stacey Holloway, Ben Jennings, JinMan Jo, Keith Kaziak, Boleslaw Kochanowski, Aaron Leif Nicholson, Wayne Potratz, and Dominic Sansone. 

​

Each cast iron sculpture was then hidden in nature areas across the county as part of CREATE's new geocache art adventure Sculpture Quest. Nature and art enthusiasts will be challenged to explore Portage County's beautiful landscape in search of unique encounters with these beautiful works of art. 

Confluence, 2015-2016
Wausau East High School Artist-in-resident

I was awarded a Reach for the Stars grant from the Wausau School Foundation in January of 2015.  With the support from the grant I worked as an artist-in-residence with my former high school art teacher and his Wausau East Sculpture class from April 20th - May 20th.

Throughout the workshop students learned how to work collaboratively and create cast metal sculpture to be permanently installed on school grounds.  Students experienced the important role of an artist in our community, team building, and the process of developing an idea from a concept to completion. 

Each student created their own relief carved into sand tile molds and assisted with the live aluminum pour demonstration during C.A.F.E. 2015 in front of school. The final work was unveiled and dedicated at C.A.F.E. 2016.