The videos for this virtual art presentation series are initially captioned automatically. It takes about 1 week from upload to have the automated captions edited for accuracy. If you have questions or comments about this video or the entire Creative Expressions series, please email - lisa.dadamo-weinstein@esc.edu.

Creative Expressions: Fiber Arts Thursday, April 23rd

The SUNY Empire community has a rich and varied artist community. Join us each week to share in some creative expression. Come and meet our “artists in residence” and learn a little about their art, their process, and them! Our artists will also host a Q&A session following their presentations. Join us this week and every week in Zoom at this link - https://bit.ly/CreativeExpressionSeries.

Featured this week will be presentations by fiber artists: Cathy Davison, Nan Travers and Diane Shichtman. Facilitator: Lisa D’Adamo-Weinstein

Cathy, Nan and Diane will be speaking about their creative works with various forms of fiber arts. As part of their presentations, they will reflect upon what it means to them as they think about creativity, flow, problem-solving, shapes, rhythm, and the meditative comfort that working in their mediums provides.

Diane Shichtman (knitter, tatter, etc.): Diane holds a Ph.D. in Science and Technology Studies along with an MBA and an MA, and has worked as an information systems professional, doing database design and development and project management, and her volunteer work includes providing project management support in a not-for-profit volunteer-based setting. She’s also worked as a freelance calligrapher and taught calligraphy. She’s been a knitter for decades (and taught knitting) and took up tatting about ten years ago. She does beadwork, quilting, and quilling as well as other crafts.

 Cathy Davison (quilter): Cathy earned a PhD in Pharmacology, and after spending time as a research scientist and teacher at Albany Medical College, joined SUNY Empire State College as an Associate Professor and Mentor in the Department of Natural Sciences, where she teaches courses in biomedical sciences. The analytic and creative aspects of her personality were evident from a young age, as she struggled with pursuing a career as a a research scientist vs. a ballet dancer. Cathy now practices the craft of quilting, where her creative nature finds expression. She finds that mathematical and scientific concepts can be illustrated in quilts, and conversely mathematics and scientific reasoning is used in quilt design and construction.

 Nan L. Travers (fiber artist): Nan is the director of the college’s Center for Leadership in Credentialing Learning. Nan has a math and science background and taught high school math and college math, statistics and research methods for over 40 years. Her doctorate is in adult learning and currently focuses on learning recognition (prior learning assessment and competency-based learning) and incremental credentialing opportunities (e.g., micro-credentialing). She has held multiple administrative positions at community colleges and SUNY Empire State College. Nan is also a fabric artist, professionally for about 30 years. Her greatest focus is on silk painting, felting, and botanical printing, as well as mixed fiber medias and collage, and provides workshops in fiber arts through her studio, Woodside Pond Studios.