PPLD's newest Artist in Residence is Erin Gillespie, a multimedia artist currently residing in Colorado Springs. Her paintings are primarily figurative or portraits, full of bold, bright colors and expressionistic qualities. After receiving her Bachelors degree in Fine Arts and Painting from Colorado State University, Erin lived for many years in Portland, Oregon and Tucson, Arizona before returning to Colorado. She held positions at Pinon Fine Art Gallery and Terra Firma Fine Art in Denver, Colorado and was a member of the Arts Student League of Denver for many years. Erin is currently an art instructor teaching numerous classes at both Bemis School of Art at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center and Cottonwood Center for the Arts. Her work has been displayed in numerous galleries and venues, in both group and solo shows.
Erin hosted classes throughout the Library District about acrylic painting.
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PPLD's Maker in Residence for August and September 2015 is Daria Wilber. She was born in Washington, D.C. and spent the first two decades of her life in and out of the amazing array of galleries and museums in the D.C. area on a weekly basis. She studied painting and printmaking at the Maryland School of Art and Design and worked in the scene shop for a regional theater company. In the mid-2000s, Daria began to study the paper arts in earnest. In 2012 she plunged into studio papermaking after a sculptural papermaking intensive at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts with Jo Stealey. Daria currently works with papermaking and artist Helen Hiebert as a studio and teaching assistant.
During her time as Maker in Residence, Daria conducted flat paper making classes and a paper sculpture class.
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PPLD's Maker in Residence for June and July 2015 was Sarah Withee. She began folding paper as a child, and was introduced to modular origami by Makoto Yamaguchi’s book Kusudama (Origami Ornaments). Thus began a lifelong interest in Japanese paper arts. Sarah has lived in Japan and taken classes in advanced paperfolding and doll making at Tokyo’s Origami Kaikan, and has an extensive library of origami books.
Sarah is an experienced origami instructor who has worked with students from children to senior citizens. She has taught origami at the Japan America Society of Southern Colorado’s Children’s Day for over 10 years, as well as classes for Pikes Peak Library District and private classes. If you have tried learning origami from a book and failed, Sarah knows just how to help you get unstuck!
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PPLD's Maker in Residence for October and November 2015 was Kristina Winnett, a self-taught mixed-media artist who has spent most of her life in Colorado Springs. Choosing to pursue studies in the Sciences in college, she longed to participate in artistic processes, yet felt that required a natural ability to draw. Having always been crafty, she found Art Journaling (the combination of Art and Words) in 2005. It was love at first site, because the first rule of Art Journaling is that there are no rules. This medium is such an easy and non-intimidating way to jump into the playfulness of creativity, that even a trained scientist could do it. She longs to share this passion with all who wish to create something personal and meaningful, yet have felt intimidated to begin.
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PPLD's Maker in Residence for May and June 2015 was Michelle Lim, a self-taught designer, animator, and maker of various things at the intersection of art and technology. She lives in Denver and is originally from Queens, NY. Education and community are essential to her work, which includes teaching creative technology in Denver public schools and designing digital programs at the Denver Art Museum. Inspired by her favorite short story — The Garden of Forking Paths by Jorge Luis Borges — she explored the many lives of infinitely complex patterns through video, sculpture, and interactive media during her residency and community workshops.
You can view the finished project at forking-paths.tumblr.com.
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Deb Ross was PPLD’s first Artist in Residence. She has enjoyed painting and drawing since she was a little girl. She still loves crayons! Deb has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Art Education from Kutztown University in Pennsylvania. Her artistic career has included both teaching and commercial art. A resident of Colorado Springs for over 30 years, Deb has taught at The Colorado Springs Senior Center, The Bemis School of Art at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, and Colorado Technical University.
Deb likes introducing beginners to creating art and inspiring more experienced artists to try new ideas. Creating art is the most fun you can have with a pencil or a paint brush!
Deb conducted Drawing for the Total Beginner and Letters into Art workshops for the public during her residency. She also painted acrylics and watercolors during her studio hours.
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Kim Hetherington was PPLD's Maker in Residence for January and February 2015 .
Her introduction to bookbinding was in the nonfiction section of the East Library. Kim was perusing the shelves and was more than thrilled to find a book on making books. Unfortunately, she was also a bit intimidated as the book explained historical bookbinding methods and listed costly pieces of equipment and tools. For a few years, she allowed this intimidation to keep me from trying my hand at it. Kim thought bookbinding required talent and equipment she did not possess. How wrong she was.
Books can be made simply with a few inexpensive materials, or they can be time-intensive pieces made with traditional bookbinding tools and equipment. A private class showed Kim how to create her first book with a handful of common tools and a few pieces of simple materials. She was hooked. Kim had the fortune of attending further bookbinding classes at Pikes Peak Community College, American Academy of Bookbinding, and with bookbinder Jim Croft. She also attend local classes and created books with and designed by Kylin Lee, Jill K. Berry, Carol Sloan, Marsh Sterling, and Pam Leutz.
While in residence, Kim taught classes about Japanese Bookbinding and Leather Journals.
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Patti Smithsonian was PPLD's Maker in Residence for February and March 2015. Her puppet shows portray ancient folktales using contemporary language and humor.
Her one-woman puppet theater has been featured at international festivals and venues including The Detroit Institute of Art, The Seattle Puppet Festival, New York International Busker Fest, Institut International de la Marionnette (France), The Santa Fe Sculpture Ranch, The
Telluride World Theater Festival, The San Francisco Puppetry Festival, and The Shilong Moon Festival (Taiwan).
Ms. Smithsonian has studied shadow puppetry in Turkey, Taiwan, and France. She uses laser cutters, acrylic plastics, alcohol inks, and high-powered projectors to create her shadow theater. She uses electronically projected light and shadow in creating light shows for theater, rock bands, and performance art — as well as narrative puppet plays.
While in residence, Ms. Smithsonian taught classes about Chinese Dragon Shadow Puppets and Modern Shadow Puppets: Animals.
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RoxAnne Krute began her creative journey at an early age. An affinity for playing with color, texture and composition has been an underlying influence in her continued exploration of various mediums throughout her life. In addition to collecting a variety of materials and tools needed for each creative venture, she has a fondness for aged and unusual objects, which she attributes to her grandmother’s influence.
This background, together with a formal education in fine art and graphic design, provides a “perfect storm” for art expressions using mixed media. She admits that even though this evolution in her art making is still in its infancy, the joy she experiences in the “play” of art-making is something she is passionate about sharing.
While in residence, RoxAnne taught Beginning Mixed Media Collage on Canvas classes.
Visit PPLD's Maker/Artist in Residence page for more information.