A little about me...
After growing up in Northern Minnesota, I have found myself a southerner for many years. Obtained my undergraduate degree in Dallas where I got swept into theatre and by my fourth year was no longer a history major and was head make-up and wardrobe for our big Spring Main Stage of Henry IV. After a brief stint back up north I ended up back in Dallas where I worked as a stitcher for some amazing companies and then decided that I wanted to take my career further. I was accepted to University of North Carolina School of the Arts Costume Technology program. I was lucky to study under some of the greatest Designers and Technicians (in all fields) they had to offer. By my second year, while in the Costume Shop Management Track, I realized I had found where I was most happy. While tailoring a suit or a period suit any day makes me happy, managing a workroom full of costumers is better.
I was fortunate during my third year to be allowed to manage the All School Musical. It's a show the school puts on only every 3-4 years, since they tack on a Broadway sized budget and all five schools join forces to make it happen. There were 219 costume pieces, built in two shops. Later, I was finished.
After working at a small shop in New Orleans, putting my training to work, trying to merge my points of running a shop into an old fashioned world, I moved on.
Currently I hold the position of Lecturer of Costume Technology at Ohio University, heading up the Costume Technology Program. I have the joy of mentoring and teaching student technicians through all the positions of the Costume Shop and in several areas of technical focus.
As my mentor always says "Art imitates life, in order to make art, you must have a life" Using this to drive myself forward, I try to bring balance and order to the Costume Shop. Also, making sure unplanned over-hire and over-time are never needed and work gets done 'to the sketch' and on time.
After growing up in Northern Minnesota, I have found myself a southerner for many years. Obtained my undergraduate degree in Dallas where I got swept into theatre and by my fourth year was no longer a history major and was head make-up and wardrobe for our big Spring Main Stage of Henry IV. After a brief stint back up north I ended up back in Dallas where I worked as a stitcher for some amazing companies and then decided that I wanted to take my career further. I was accepted to University of North Carolina School of the Arts Costume Technology program. I was lucky to study under some of the greatest Designers and Technicians (in all fields) they had to offer. By my second year, while in the Costume Shop Management Track, I realized I had found where I was most happy. While tailoring a suit or a period suit any day makes me happy, managing a workroom full of costumers is better.
I was fortunate during my third year to be allowed to manage the All School Musical. It's a show the school puts on only every 3-4 years, since they tack on a Broadway sized budget and all five schools join forces to make it happen. There were 219 costume pieces, built in two shops. Later, I was finished.
After working at a small shop in New Orleans, putting my training to work, trying to merge my points of running a shop into an old fashioned world, I moved on.
Currently I hold the position of Lecturer of Costume Technology at Ohio University, heading up the Costume Technology Program. I have the joy of mentoring and teaching student technicians through all the positions of the Costume Shop and in several areas of technical focus.
As my mentor always says "Art imitates life, in order to make art, you must have a life" Using this to drive myself forward, I try to bring balance and order to the Costume Shop. Also, making sure unplanned over-hire and over-time are never needed and work gets done 'to the sketch' and on time.