The next piece is really interesting because it shows how you can take something you do in 2-D and turn it into a 3-D piece of art.  We had to draw a sculpture and then we had to make the sculpture.  It is a lot harder than it looks, I can tell you that.  This was about learning organic shape drawing and then morphing it into an organic form drawing.  We did this first and then our drawing became the plan for us to create a sculpture piece.  We learned about geometric shapes verses organic shapes.  The artist Frank Stella and his process of drawing in 2D before creating in 3D art was our inspiration.

I was invited to be the Poet of the National Institute for Historically Underserved Students Think Tank that was held at West Virginia University Parkersburg in November 2019.  The purpose of the Institutes is to research and identify common barriers to educational equity and success for all historically-underserved students, to develop and disseminate research- based solutions to those barriers, and to recruit, retain, and graduate more of those students who are currently being overlooked or failed by American higher education.  I was asked to write and perform an original poem based on the themes of rising up against barriers.  When I presented the poem at the conference, I wore this very necklace so that my art was present with me.  Poetry is art, too, and I also wanted my 3-D art with me that day.

A friend of mine’s dad at school owns a company where they make leather belts, guitar straps, and wallets and things like that.  We went there on a field trip and our class got to design a wallet.  I really liked it and bought it.  I think this is an important field trip because it shows you that art is used in businesses too.  Check out this company at Couch Guitar Straps.