Throughout my undergraduate and post-bac experience I heavily applied myself to learning both in and out of the studios. I primarily focused my time in sculpture and ceramics where I found two incredible mentors in my professors. They both were excited to share their knowledge and invite me to participate in many opportunities. I am forever thankful to them.
I worked as a sculpture studio tech for my junior and senior years of undergrad (2022-2024). Here I was taught maintenance for the MIG welders, assisting and caring for the wood shop, how to organize and store materials, to assist in preparation for a multitude of classes, assisting the professor when demonstrating to classes, installing shows, and working with community members. This position not only taught me a lot of knowledge on servicing equipment, it also instilled a very strong sense of time management into my artistic practice.
Sculpture Studio Technician
A show in the TAMUCC Bell Library I assisted with transporting and installing.
In the spring of 2023 by being the sculpture tech I had the honor of assisting in building panels, helping build lightboxes, sewing 3 40 ft long fabric towers, and helping install Olivia Hinkel’s MFA Thesis show “THE HOLDING CELL”. She taught me such incredible skills and inspired me to always push past where I think is enough. She is such an inspiration.
In the summer of 2023 Olivia Hinkel was given the opportunity to do an installation titled “House Lights Down” in TAMUCC’s Performing Arts Center where I was hired to assist sewing 3 more fabric towers.
Fall of 2023 and spring of 2024 I also became a wood shop tech and assisted with watching the building during studio hours. My duties included cleaning and tending to the wood shop and helping students when needed.
Wood shop Technician
My favorite part of my sculpture studio position was getting to be around foundry work so often. Metal casting is something I so deeply love and recognizing this my professor taught me in depth the process for aluminum and bronze pouring with molds made for the lost wax casting process. I was instructed on how to run the burn out kiln, prep for pours, assisting the class preparing, and how to run the pour with a class helping.
I can’t wait to return to this someday.
Class metal pour.Me charging the crucible.Ceramic Experience
I discovered ceramics just before entering my last semester of my senior year of undergraduate school. I struggled in my wheel throwing class but found a new determination to succeed no matter what. In the second half of the semester I approached my professor and asked if she would help me in tutoring learn how to hand build and use slabs to make a figure. What a wonderful world I found.
Late nights in the studio constantly wanting to work on anything clay introduced me to the schools work study students and ceramics grads and what they were doing. Everyone was incredibly kind and welcomed me into their community. They allowed me to learn and help with mixing clay, loading kilns, learning to keep inventory, and how to properly clean the studio.
With the mentorship of my professor Leandra Urrutia I presented my senior thesis ceramic work during TAMUCC’s Research and Innovation week. This opportunity allowed me to gain experience talking about my process, inspiration, and work to the community and a group of judges.
Towards the end of my senior year I became heavily involved in the kilns. Entering my Post Bac I ran the kiln yard. With my Post-Bac I entirely focused in ceramics. During my year long study in ceramics I spent 8-12 hours a day in the studio continuing to further my knowledge and continue refining my skills. I assisted with managing clay, keeping track of inventory, assisting with kiln upkeep and organizing the firing schedules, as well as organizing loading and unloading of the kilns. In my time with the kilns I confidently loaded and unloaded electric kilns for bisque and glaze. I was also taught how to build a sagger kiln, run a gas kiln, and prep, load, and fire a soda kiln. I was also taught about keeping track of usage of supply and ordering for the studio as well as teaching me how to work with large groups of both students and community members. I assisted my professor in a few classes by helping with preparation and acting as an assistant at the workshops. I also assisted in many markets selling student work as well as organized a group trip of grad students to NCECA. Additionally for my year i was placed alongside the ceramics MFA classes introducing me to students/artists who were where I am aiming to work towards. I was very inspired by their work, writing, and approach to art. This furthered my drive to strengthening my artistic practice.
One of my favorite things to help with is TAMUCC’s ceramics departments annual international sculpture day pit fire! I helped collect materials, help people prepare their work, pack everything needed to transport, prepare pits, fire, and clean up the area. This is one of my favorite events because it has such strong ties to the community and allows me to further share my love of ceramics with others as well as has taught me how to prepare for events and work on strengthening my clear instructing skills.
In the spring of 2025 I had the opportunity to assist a very inspiring artist, Ashley Burnett, on helping her learn to sew for her MFA thesis show. She designed fabric adornments for her ceramic pieces. I helped her learn to pattern, create drafts, and confidently operate a sewing machine. I assisted her in creating 5 fabric displays for her show “A Grain of Sand”.