Announcing the publication of Mountain Mother Goose:  Appalachian Children's Folklore
...collected by my aunt;  illustrated by me

Collected by Ruth Ann Musick and Walter Barnes
Edited by Judy Prozzillo Byers
Illustrated by Patricia Musick along with Noel W. Tenney and John Henry Randolph

Mountain Mother Goose is a collection of jingles, jangles, rhymes, riddles, games, and lesson stories chanted and sung on the playgrounds of Central Appalachia, recited in one-room schools, and echoed in backyards and schoolyards throughout the small villages and farms that dotted the hills and valleys of West Virginia. Stretching through most of the 20th Century, this collection of melodies traces the regional attitudes and traditions of American children at play. As early progressive educators and folklorists, Dr. Walter Barnes and Dr. Ruth Ann Musick painstakingly gathered a rich harvest of child lore. Dr. Barnes encouraged Dr. Musick to pluck the folk ways and narratives of youngsters by sharing with his younger colleague the many examples that he had heard from children in the rural schools around the state. The features in the eight chapters of the book move from childhood to teens with such sections as nonsense, taunts, and teases; act-out games; counting-out rhymes; riddles; jump rope rhymes; lesson stories; play-party games; and autographs and epitaphs. Illustrated with the lively sketches and paintings of Pat Musick along with works by Noel W. Tenney and John H. Randolph, this collection is sure to delight the infant being read to in her mother’s lap, to enliven the play of the older child, and to bring a smile to the older reader who recalls similar games and songs from his youth. Enjoy this celebration of being young in age and young at heart.

For information on how to obtain your copy, please call (304) 367-4403 or e-mail Beth.Martin@fairmontstate.edu

http://www.fairmontstate.edu/folklife/mountain-mother-goose-child-lore-west-virginia

Online exhibition--Artists-in-Residence in National Parks

Online exhibition of national parks artist residencies:

http://www.visitnationalparkarts.org/exhibition.cfm?cdid=2&exhibitionid=2&cid=16

"Wall Canyon"  (alternative title:  "Oasis")--an enameled copper piece I created that was inspired by my artist residency at North Rim, Grand Canyon National Park--is on display in this online exhibition, which includes visual, literary, and performing arts.
My piece is on the "Places and Wonder" page of the visual art exhibition.

The exhibition as a whole reflects the variety and depth of inspiration our parks provide ~

Story: the Great Depression, my parents, & me

The chicken shack studio, c. 1932

Storytelling:  the Great Depression, my parents, and me

Imagination, paradox, and reminiscences from my childhood and from my father's writings about his experiences during the Great Depression
(click on the title to access the youtube video of this story)

Petrified Forest artist residency

In October, 2011, I was Artist-in-Residence at Petrified Forest National Park.  Many national parks have artist residency programs: a place to stay and time to be inspired, make sketches, do some artwork, and begin to develop a body of work inspired by that park.  In return, artists give one or more public programs while at the park, and donate one piece inspired by the residency to the park.   Here are two of the pieces inspired by Petrified Forest's petroglyphs, fossils, petrified logs, animals and plants of desert grasslands, and   badlands. 

Video Interview

There's a six-minute video interview of me working in my studio and talking about what's behind my work (including medium, techniques, inspirations, approach, other aspects of what might be called personal philosophy) posted at http://www.greatsouthwestart.com/.  Thanks to Chris Jones of The Great Southwest Gallery, and to videographer extraordinaire Zach Wolfson of http://www.infusion5.com/, for bringing this video into being.

Benet Hill Monastery Sign

The enameled copper sign I created for the new Benet Hill Monastery facility was installed just before the monastery was dedicated on October 11.

The sign is mounted on a seven-foot-tall stone pylon. The approach to the monastery is marked by the 32" diameter sign, along with a 22" diameter Benedictine Medal that I reproduced in enameled copper.

The reverse side of the sign, visible as one leaves the monastery, bears the word "peace." In very subtle transparent enamels, the word "listen" is superimposed on the word "peace." The photo shows how the "peace" side appears in situ, against the surrounding trees. ("Listen" is the first word of the Benedictine Rule.) I'm grateful to Sister Charlotte of the Benet Hill community for her guidance, and to architect Bill Beard, who designed the facility, for connecting me with the community.

Publication in 500 Enameled Objects

Infinite Nature, my mural at Mesa State College, is included in 500 Enameled Objects (Lark Books, Sterling Publishing, 2009). As the back cover states: "From jewelry to vessels to installations, the five hundred works in this fully illustrated collection reveal enamel's expressive potential in a variety of forms and applications."
These works embody an enormous range of techniques, technical virtuosity, and approaches to the qualities of glass fused to metal. Most of the objects shown are exquisite jewelry-scale or small sculptures or vessels; there are several larger pieces as well. (Infinite Nature may have the distinction of being the largest single enameled object shown in this collection.)
I'm honored to be represented alongside leading enamelists from all over the world.

http://www.larkbooks.com/catalog?isbn=9781600593451
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1600593453

Mural by Middle School Enameling Students

Middle school enameling students at The Colorado Springs School with the group mural they produced in enameled steel and copper. Each student had four 4 1/2" steel squares on which to depict an aspect of nature or outdoor activities seen on the school's campus. Photography students took pictures of art students' hands at work; these were photoetched in 4 1/2" copper squares and enameled. Jacqueline Rogers, photography artist-in-residence; Hans Wolfe, CSS art teacher, and I then arranged and mounted all component pieces from my two enameling classes and the photoetched pieces on a backing board. The students' enameling experience remains at CSS in the form of their mural.