In the 1980s I rode my unicycle to school and spent long hours in the ceramics studio and the theater. You guessed it. I didn't identify with the mainstream. These days my questioning is more focused on issues of sustainability and in particular, housing, food, transportation, and culture. I am quite confident that the lives of those who dwell in the "developed" world will change radically in the next decades, as a result of increasing energy costs, environmental degradation and toxicity, climate change, and low quality foods. To address these concerns I have made changes in my lifestyle and work to educate others about both the simple and more complex options I have found rewarding, and very often, just plain fun. You might have guessed by now that professionally I teach natural building and contract small jobs in the Pacific Northwest. But when I am not pursuing mud, you might find me developing my urban permaculture homestead, going some place on my bike, baking bread, making art, pushing my kayak to the river, playing the ukulele (still don't fit in the main stream), or dreaming about my next boat building project.
___________________ Resume __________________
Objective To provide inspirational instruction that blends natural building skills, design experience, art, and environmental awareness while fostering community.
Education Masters in EducationSeptember 2001 Portland State University, Portland, Oregon
B.A., Fine ArtsJune 1993 Lewis and Clark College, Portland, Oregon
Teaching and Building
Oops, looks like I disappeared into the wilderness and didn't come out. So much has happened in the last eight years! I've got this update on my list.
Complete Cob August 2011 Cob Cottage Company, Bandon, Oregon Taught a nine day intensive workshop providing participants all the skills they need to build their own cob cottage.
Complete Cob July 2011 Cob Cottage Company, Port Townsend, Washington Taught a nine day intensive workshop providing participants all the skills they need to build their own cob cottage.
Alternative Building Design Spring semester 2011 Portland Community College, Rock Creek Campus, Portland, Oregon Through the Building Technology and Construction program I taught the course BCT116. It covers natural building materials, techniques, and design skills in both classroom and hands-on settings.
Village Building Convergence May 2011 Portland Community College, Sylvania Campus, Portland, Oregon Continued work in the Learning Garden with the construction of a stone retaining wall and mosaic flooring for the sculpted cob Salmon Bench.
Earthen Oven Workshop May 2011 Private residence, Portland, Oregon Through the Urban Earth Center for Natural Building, I lead a workshop teaching the construction of an earthen oven.
Earthen Oven Workshop May 2011 Clackamas Community College, Oregon City, Oregon Lead the horticulture club in the construction of an earthen oven.
Cob Kiva Workshop Summer 2010 Private residence, Oregon City, Oregon Lead several workshops and workparties facilitating the construction of a backyard garden kiva.
Village Building Convergence May 2010 Portland Community College, Sylvania Campus, Portland, Oregon Lead the community project of building a cob bench in the schools Learning Garden.
Cob Bench and Earthen Plasters July 2009 Solwest Renewable Energy Fair, John Day, Oregon Designed and lead a workshop that built a cob bench on the Grant County Fairgrounds as part of the Solwest Fair. Also presented an afternoon workshop on materials, mixing, and application of earthen plasters.
Complete CobAugust 2009 Northwest School of Natural Building, Coquille, Oregon Taught a nine day intensive workshop providing participants all the skills they need to build their own cob cottage.
Earthen Oven Workshop May 2009 Lyle, Washington Lead the homeowner and participants to build an oven on a permaculture homestead.
Rocket Mass Heater Workshop May 2009 George, Oregon Guided participants and homeowner to create a cob masonry stove for home heating.
Cob Basics and BeyondOctober 2008 Roseburg, Oregon Lead a four day cob workshop where we began the cob walls for a rural home.
Earthen Plaster Relief PanelsSpring 2008 Walluga Middle School, Lake Oswego, Oregon Worked with art students to create large sculpted plaster panels to hang in cafeteria.
Village Building ConvergenceMay 2007 Portland, Oregon Lead construction of a cob bench built by members of the Pacific Crest Community School.
Earthen Oven Workshop March 2007 Berkeley, California Worked with students of Willard Middle School to build an earthen oven in the school garden.
Natural Plaster WorkshopSeptember 2006 Estacada, Oregon Taught a two day hands-on course on materials, tools, and application of earthen and lime plasters.
Complete CobAugust 2006 Northwest School of Natural Building, Coquille, Oregon Taught a ten day intensive workshop providing participants all the skills they need to build their own cob cottage.
Village Building ConvergenceMay 2006 Mount Tabor Middle School, Portland, Oregon Lead design process and created final design for the Eagle’s Nest Bench.Lead the construction of the foundation, cob bench and canopy.
Light My Fire!Rocket Stoves and Rumford FireplacesOctober 2005 Spirit Pine Ranch, Los Olivos, California Taught three-day workshop on construction of home-built wood fired furnaces and fireplaces using cob and other materials.
Owner Builder Cob IntensiveAugust 2005 Northwest School of Natural Building, Coquille, Oregon Co-taught the three-week course for those aspiring to build their own cob homes.All aspects of materials, construction and design covered.
Earth Oven Workshop2003 Private Residence, Estacada, Oregon Co-taught a weekend workshop on how to build beautiful bread ovens of earth.
Kids and Parents Cob Workshop2003 Northwest School of Natural Building, Coquille, Oregon Co-taught a four-day workshop for parents and children.Activities included building model dream houses and a tiger head playhouse.
Other Experience
Cob MonsterFall 2009 City KidsChild Development Center, Portland, Oregon Worked with children to design and build a large sculpted cob lizard play structure.
Earthen OvenNovember 2008 Portland, Oregon Worked with homeowner to build an earthen oven in her backyard.
Cob PlayhouseWinter 2008 Joyful Noise Child Development Center, Portland, Oregon Built the cob walls and benches for a children’s playhouse.
Village Building Convergence2003 and 2005 Multiple locations, Portland, Oregon Worked as a natural builder at various sites.
Designer, sculptor, builder2002 – 2004 Self-employed in Estacada, Oregon Sculpted my own environmentally sensitive cottage using straw bales and earth.
Art Teacher 1999 - 2002 Kraxberger Middle School, Gladstone, Oregon Taught a full curriculum of 2D and 3D media and techniques.
Public Art
Book BenchesJuly 2006 Estacada Library, Estacada, Oregon Collaborated with landscape architect Steve Shibley to design and cast a series of benches in the shape of books using concrete and cedar.
Mural of the ArtsJuly 2001 Lincoln Hall, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon Collaborated with other artists to design and paint a mural celebrating the arts in the lobby space outside the performance hall,(80 x 10 feet.)