My artistic life has been led by an overwhelming impulse to create art objects that bring more beauty and meaning into our world, through traditional and modern media. My newest artistic ventures return to sculpture, in wet clay. Stay tuned for a ceramics addition to my portfolio! I am actively pursuing a new artistic vision, working towards a fresh creative destination every day.
I graduated from Northwestern University with a B.A. in Art Theory & Practice and a B.S. in Anthropology. After college, I served 2+ years in the Peace Corps in West Africa, where I had the good fortune to work directly with traditional Tuareg silversmiths at the National Museum in Niamey, Niger. Upon returning to the US, I joined the Santa Barbara Summer Solstice Celebration as Mask-Maker in Residence and directed 10+ parade ensembles over the years, while also working as an arts writer and editorial illustrator for the Santa Barbara Independent and photo assistant to National Geographic photographer Macduff Everton.
For more than a decade, I toured the country as a teaching artist with Dancing Drum, a company that I co-founded with my husband. Together, we performed for hundreds of schools and led interactive drumming events from California to the East Coast and internationally.
My years living and working in New Orleans yielded a new catalog of books that I co-wrote, illustrated, and designed under our in-house imprint, Dancing Drum Publications. I've also immersed in product design and worked with an amazing team to develop the Dancing Drum Signature Series line of drums and percussion instruments, which are made from responsibly harvested wood by the master craftspeople at Tycoon Percussion in Bangkok, Thailand. They are distributed worldwide and played in schools throughout North America.
Currently, I am happily rooted in Asheville, North Carolina, with my family. When I'm not in the office working for Dancing Drum, I work in a shared art studio in the Advanced Studies program at The Village Potters in Asheville's River Arts District. My fellow potters are a constant source of inspiration and amusement!
To view available artwork, please visit my art website at https://www.rustartdesign.com
