Pursuing Their Art

In the interview below, Emily and Grant talk about their time at USN, their art, and their plans for the future.


When did you start at USN?

Emily: I came to USN for Kindergarten in 1990.

 

Grant: I came to USN for third grade in 1993. My first teacher was Mrs. Noel.

 

Emily: Grandparents Day. I still remember making the Turkey Trot outfits. I enjoyed sports and athletics at USN, outdoor games, swimming, and soccer, which I played for many years. I have fond memories of the art modules, where I took classes in ceramics, mixed media, and drawing.

 

Grant: All the great friends I made and being part of the different sports teams I played on...basketball and cross country.

 

Emily: I liked and was influenced by all the teachers at USN. Mr. Dorris helped develop my critical thinking. My English teachers—Mrs. Coble, Mr. McKay, and Dr. Wheeler—nurtured my affection for literature. Elizabeth Mask, Jennifer Lightsey, Peg Williams and Delia Seigenthaler supported and encouraged dialogue and art-making. Seeing Elizabeth Mask’s work and watching it develop first-hand made a real difference in my own development.

 

Grant: Of course my art teachers Elizabeth Mask and Peggy Williams. Both fueled my passion for creating and both constantly challenged me to be better and work harder. Thank you

 

Emily: I went to Washington University in St. Louis and received a B.F.A. in Painting, with a minor in English. I went to the University of Houston for my M. F. A. in Painting. I taught painting and drawing there as well. Between undergraduate and graduate school, I worked as a community skills instructor with an autistic girl.  I also just finished teaching a semester of Art Appreciation at Lone Star College in Houston, Texas.

 

Grant: After USN, I went to Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Richmond, Virginia. While there I received a B.F.A. in Craft/Material Studies with a focus in glass. Since then I have studied at Pilchuck Glass School in Seattle, Haystack Mountain School of Craft in Deer Isle, Maine, Pittsburgh Glass Center, Corning Museum of Glass in NY, The Chrysler Museum Glass Studio in Norfolk VA, and Northlands Creative Glass in Lybster, Scotland.

 

Emily: I do feel that USN prepared me well. There was a healthy focus on critical thinking which has helped me a great deal.

 

Grant: Yes, USN gave me a great platform to start college from.

 

Emily: I remember one painting I made as a kid, I think it was in a first or second grade art class, where I applied several colors side-by-side on a sponge brush and was thrilled by the curve and color of the strokes. It is the first clear memory I have of the joy that can come from the process.

 

Grant: I became interested in art when very young; it came naturally to me. I started drawing when I was three, and I've never stopped.

 

Emily: I grew up around painting because my mom is a painter as well and always encouraged it. When I was in high school I saw the work of James McNeill Whistler and Pierre Bonnard and thought: "that is what I want to do."

 

Grant: Discovering glass was a complete accident for me. I went to V.C.U. to study metal and jewelry, and saw a glass class. I thought it was the most amazing thing I'd ever seen and decided to try it. Been doing it ever since.

 

Emily: I was recently in a group exhibition at McClain Gallery in Houston, Texas, In Plain Sight. In 2011 our Master of Fine Arts Thesis exhibition was held at Diverse Works, in Houston, Texas. My work was also in a show at LoneStar Studios in San Antonio, Texas this past year.

 

Grant: 

 

Emily: I am developing a series on buildings outside of the immediate downtown Houston area, specifically the Third Ward and North Houston. Because of the absence of a zoning code, these areas, like so much of Houston, are composed of a motley combination of businesses and homes. I have also been painting the human figure with a focus on portraits. I am interested in the range within the oil painting medium. I am intrigued that the mark-making leaves a record of the shades of the painter’s mood and approach.

 

For the future, I plan to continue to exhibit in galleries and teach.

 

Grant: I plan on taking my art internationally, while showing at various venues nationally (like Artclectic) and working on private commissions for clients. I would also like to travel the world teaching, demoing and lecturing about glass art.

Emily: I watch a lot of films, frequent galleries and museums, and enjoy running.

 

Grant: Gardening, camping, and archery

 

Emily: This summer my bike was my main mode of transportation, which is fun but difficult in a car-centered city.

 

Grant: I used to have my own egg selling business while at USN. Farm fresh eggs only two dollars a dozen!

 

Emily:

Pet: I have an adorable tabby, Gadoo.

Books: Some of my favorite books are Leslie Silko’s Ceremony (which I first read in Mr. Mckay’s class), Christopher Isherwood’s A Single Man, Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights, Franz Kafka’s Amerika, and anything by David Sedaris.

Movies: My current favorite movies include The Buddha (a documentary), Lilies of the Field, and Radio Days.

Plays: Little Shop of Horrors is one of my favorite plays.

 

Grant:

Pet: My dog Abby is the best

Books: The Hobbit and Game of Thrones 
Movies: Apocalypto,  Lord of the Rings trilogy, and Taladega Nights