BigSockTramp

I'm an artist, a teacher, and a healer. In an attempt to combine all these passions, I'm hoping to begin grad school in the fall to become an expressive arts therapist. Now I'm at a crossroads waiting to know where I'll be attending school, and creative projects are one of the few activities that help soothe my restless impatience.

Notes:
-You may not want to look at my flickr photostream if you are in a swap with me and you haven't received your items yet. I post pics of items I made for swaps about a week after mailing.

-Please let me know if items show up damaged or don't show up at all! I do my best to get things out on time and I'm often early.

IMPORTANT: I will be visiting California for the months of June and July. If you think your package will get to me after May 26th, and you would like a prompt rating, please contact me for my California address. I will be having mail forwarded, but mail will take a lot longer that way. Thanks!

I'm new to swaps, but I've regularly been making mail art for friends since I moved across the country last summer. I use many different kinds of media in my art, but ink and wash is an old favorite that I've been focused on lately. I've also been exploring photography, self portraiture, and collage.

Whatever I feel like at the moment, really. For the past few years that's mostly been bookbinding, collage, altered books, printmaking, and pen and ink drawing. I like to make things from re-use materials whenever possible.

I'm in this to be surprised, so don't take these as directives, please. I've included this info in case you desire some suggestions or additional inspiration. Thanks!

Likes: Stripes, genderqueer imagery, trains, linocuts, hats, boots, shoes, comics, words, quotes, fortunes, linguistics, psychology, perverted or pervertable vintage imagery, book arts, tarot cards, reading flash cards, cats, turtles, spiders, rats, bright colors, children's books, text book imagery, diagrams, instructions, amusing translations, languages and language, cognitive science, words, boxes, decaf and herbal tea, handmade, re-use....

Dislikes: Anything scented that gives me a headache, caffeine, really girly stuff, dogs, pink, pastels...

I'm a reader, so I can't really pic a few favorites. Speculative fiction and alternative comics are my favorite escapist reading. I also like reading about behavior (human and animal), cognitive psychology, and books that teach me practical skills. As I write this, the following books are on my bedside table: Sandman #7: Brief Lives by Neil Gaiman, Animals in Translation by Temple Grandin; With the Light: Raising an Autistic Child by Keiko Tobe, Self Publishing Made Easy by William Carroll, Nobody Passes: Reflecting the Rules of Gender and Conformity by Mattilda aka Matt Bernstein Sycamore, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver, In the Shadow of No Towers by Art Spiegelman, and Alice in Sunderland: An Entertainment by Bryan Talbot. I've started reading all of them; I switch back and forth depending on my mood. Some of them have been in progress for months because of this.

Anything I can dance to is good. I also quite like lyrics that tell a story.