Art That Connects: Stitching Together Classrooms, Museums & Creative Minds
Step into the world where folk tradition meets fearless creativity! As a fiber artist and teaching professional, I bring vibrant, hands-on residencies into schools and organizations that blend storytelling, symbolism, and stitchery. From crafting “Earth Prayer Flags” inspired by Tibetan folk art and regional ecology with high schoolers at King’s Gap Environmental Center, to exploring the bold geometry of pioneer quilt blocks with Upper Dauphin’s 4th graders, my residencies are immersive journeys through art, culture, and self-expression. Whether we’re hand-dyeing muslin, printing with collagraphs, or sewing appliqué hex blocks rooted in Pennsylvania Dutch history, each program is designed to nurture creative confidence, introduce textile techniques, and connect students to the stories woven into the fabric of their communities.
In addition to in-school residencies, I collaborate throughout the academic year with the education team at the Susquehanna Art Museum (Harrisburg, PA) and the PA STEAM Academy. Together, we develop a quarterly curriculum for grades K–6 that responds to current museum exhibitions. These integrated programs introduce a focused artistic concept in the classroom, followed by an expanded, hands-on activity within the museum space. This dynamic partnership bridges contemporary art with classroom learning, giving students opportunities to explore new materials, ideas, and creative practices in both familiar and inspiring new environments.
Fiber Art Residencies
Pollinator Soft Books – Mixed Media Fiber Arts, approx. 8.5″x 5″ felt book base
April 9 – May 9, 2025 – CAIU Arts in Education Program; Crossroads Middle School and King’s Gap Environmental Education Center/ PA DCNR, Jennifer Thompson, host Teacher
This 12-day residency with Crossroads Middle School 7th and 8th grade art students focused on the life cycles and symbiotic relationships of pollinators and their host plants, the ecology of the region and the development of a soft book based on those concepts. I led two art exploration classes in applying a story concept, stamping, appliqué, 3D design, mixed media, and hand-stitching and embroidery techniques to create a unique felt book full of facts about their pollinators. Students learned about folk art history, ecology, storytelling, appliqué, beading, life skills, and basic hand and embroidery stitching techniques.
The final project series was on display in the King’s Gap Environmental Education Center Mansion Library from May 9, 2025 through the summer season.
Read more about the residency at the blog post:
Earth Prayer Flags – Mixed Media Fiber Arts, approx. 6’x 10″ muslin fabric
April 15 – May 14, 2022 – CAIU Arts in Education Program; Carlisle High School and King’s Gap Environmental Education Center/ PA DCNR, Caitlin Graham, host Teacher
This 12-day residency with Carlisle High School 10th to 12th grade art students focused on the history and folk art of Tibetan Prayer Flags, the ecology of the region and the development of a series of prayer flags for the Earth based on those concepts. I led two art exploration classes in applying symbolism, collagraphy, appliqué, mixed media, cyanotype and hand-stitching and embroidery techniques to create a unique series of fiber arts flags full of self-expression. Students learned about folk art history, ecology, natural and synthetic dyeing, appliqué, beading, life skills, and basic hand and embroidery stitching techniques.
The final project series was on display in the King’s Gap Environmental Education Center Classroom from May 19, 2024 through the summer season.
Read more about the residency at the blog post:
Pioneer Quilt Blocks – Mixed Media Art Canvas, 10in square
April 20 – May 11, 2022 – CAIU Arts in Education Program; Upper Dauphin Elementary School, Heather Shertzer, host teacher
The 12-day residency with the 4th grade art students of Upper Dauphin Elementary School focused on the history of the American pioneer and the development of traditional quilt blocks, as well as the general properties of quilts. I led four groups of students in applying symbolism, symmetry, collagraphy and hand-stitching techniques to create a unique quilt block of self-expression. Students gained skills in design basics, color theory, life skills, and basic hand-stitching techniques.
Read more about the residency at the blog post:
Hex Quilt Blocks – Mixed Media Art Canvas, 12in by 12in
October 18- November 2, 2021
PCCA Arts in Education Program; West Perry Middle School; Molly Knisley, host teacher
The two-week residency with West Perry 8th-grade art students focused on the Pennsylvania folk history of hex symbols, as well as the general properties of quilts. Working with six groups of students, I taught concepts in applying symbolism, symmetry, collagraphy and hand-stitching techniques to create a unique quilt block of self-expression. Students developed skills in design basics, color theory, life skills, appliqué and basic hand stitching techniques..
Read more about the residency at the blog post: Hex Block Fiber Arts Residency.
Hex Quilt Blocks Workshop – Mixed Media Art Canvas, 12in by 12in
June 21- July 2, 2021
PCCA Arts in Education Program; Tuscarora Intermediate Unit and Project Yes; Shelby Liebegott, host Teacher
The two-week residency with students from Project Yes and the TIU focused on the PA folk history of Hex Symbols. Leading two groups of middle school students in applying symbolism and color expression to create unique faux quilt blocks full of self-expression, I guided students in exploring design basics, color theory, and basic hand stitching techniques.
Museum Education
2024-2025 School Year
Museum Education Program; Susquehanna Art Museum and PA STEAM Academy, grades K-5
Throughout the school year, students embarked on a rich, interdisciplinary exploration of visual arts, engaging in hands-on projects inspired by major museum exhibitions and cultural traditions. In Quarter 1, students explored collaborative public art by creating a large-scale 3D word art installation inspired by the Queremos Justicia exhibition, working with positive messaging and dimensional design. In Quarter 2, lessons focused on value and shading techniques, where students experimented with blending, hatching, and stippling to create value-scale leaves, culminating in a museum visit and a printmaking project inspired by Edvard Munch’s emotionally expressive works. Quarter 3 immersed students in folk-art traditions as they studied the geometry and symbolism of pioneer quilt blocks, using collage to design their own symmetrical patterns influenced by the Wall Power! exhibition. Finally, in Quarter 4, students developed fine motor skills and design sensibilities through an introduction to embroidery and cross-stitch. Drawing from the There exhibition, they explored symbolism, symmetry, and repetition to design personalized stitched monograms. Across all quarters, I worked in collaboration with the STEAM Academy’s classroom art teacher, as well as the museum’s education manager, to provide instruction and demonstration as students continued to build on foundational techniques, historical context, and personal expression, all of which culminated in a year-long journey of artistic growth and creative confidence.
2023-2024 School Year
Museum Education Program; Susquehanna Art Museum and PA STEAM Academy, grades K-4
Throughout the 2023–2024 school year, students participated in a year-long, museum-integrated art program that emphasized art appreciation, creative expression, and cultural connection through hands-on projects inspired by current exhibitions at the Susquehanna Art Museum. In Quarter 1, students learned foundational museum etiquette, practiced respectful viewing habits, and engaged in art observation exercises that taught them how to slow down, look closely, and speak thoughtfully about what they see. In Quarter 2, inspired by Shifting Forms: Five Decades of Abstraction, students explored the emotional power of color and line through abstract mark-making and created expressive compositions using both drawing and compass-based techniques. Quarter 3 introduced I’m Fine, an exhibit focused on self-expression and identity, where students used color symbolism and 3D paper techniques to design self-portrait masks and expressive drawings that communicated aspects of their inner selves. In the final quarter, students explored themes of community and belonging through Cocoon Steelton, learning perspective drawing and basic installation techniques. They collaborated to curate and install a classroom exhibition for the end-of-the-year school art show that reflected their understanding of place, identity, and shared experience. Over the course of the year, I worked in collaboration with the STEAM Academy’s classroom art teacher, as well as the museum’s education manager, to provide instruction and demonstration as students developed both technical and conceptual art skills while building meaningful connections between their personal voices and the broader world of contemporary and historical art.
2022-2023 School Year
Museum Education Program; Susquehanna Art Museum and PA STEAM Academy, grades K-4
During the 2022–2023 school year, students participated in a dynamic, hands-on visual arts program grounded in museum learning, creative expression, and personal storytelling. In Quarter 1, students were introduced to foundational museum concepts through interactive lessons in etiquette, observation, and respectful engagement with artwork. Activities such as the “Please Don’t Touch” fingerprint experiment and the “It Takes More Than 30 Seconds” viewing exercise helped students build awareness of their role as thoughtful museum visitors and attentive art viewers. In Quarter 2, students explored symbolism and self-representation through a series of printmaking techniques, including stamping, stenciling, and foam block printing. Drawing inspiration from traditional Japanese Ukiyo-e styles, they created symbolic imagery to reflect personal and cultural narratives. Quarter 3 focused on the concept of positive and negative space through the use of silhouettes. Students practiced cut-paper techniques to create silhouette scenes from their own lives, echoing the powerful visual language of artist Kara Walker and others from the Deep Roots exhibition. In the final quarter, students explored 3D design through the study of monochromatic sculpture inspired by the work of artist Lesley Dill. They engaged in project planning by sketching and organizing materials to construct self-portrait sculptures using a single color. The year concluded with a museum visit and gallery installation project, where students learned exhibition techniques and mounted their completed sculptures in a collaborative display. Across all quarters, I worked in collaboration with the STEAM Academy’s classroom art teacher, as well as the museum’s education manager, to provide instruction and demonstration as students gained a deeper understanding of artistic process, symbolism, and storytelling, while developing the creative and critical thinking skills essential to both art-making and museum appreciation.
2021-2022 School Year
Museum Education Program; Susquehanna Art Museum and PA STEAM Academy, grades K-3
During the 2022–2023 school year, students explored core visual art concepts through hands-on projects and museum-based learning experiences. The year began with lessons on museum etiquette and preservation, paired with fingerprint self-portraits that reinforced respect for artwork. Students then explored color and emotion through abstract art inspired by Hedy O’Beil, using expressive movement, color theory, and color-blocking techniques to create chalk drawings and stained-glass-style collages. In the second half of the year, students focused on landscape composition, learning to apply concepts such as depth, perspective, and the rule of thirds through layered paper collages and guided drawing activities. Throughout the year, I provided hands-on instruction, lesson planning, and classroom management as students developed fine motor skills, learned essential art vocabulary, and connected personal expression to foundational visual art techniques.
