Life in the Arts - Pysanka-Ukrainian Eggs

The Art of Ukranian Eggs MATERIALS: WHITE EGGS (SEVERAL PER STUDENT) / WRITING TOOLS/ BEESWAX, WATER SOLUBLE DYES, WHITE VINEGAR, PINT-SIZED JARS WITH WIDE MOUTHS AND LIDS/ SPOONS/CANDLE AND CANDLE HOLDER/ PAPER TOWELS/SMALL BRUSH OR COTTON SWAB AND EXACTO KNIFE (OPTIONAL) MELISSA PICKFORD GREW UP WATCHING HER FATHER DEDICATE HIS LIFE TO ART. HE WAS A CONSTANT SOURCE OF INSPIRATION AND ENCOURAGEMENT TO EXPLORE ALL THE ARTS, ESPECIALLY PAINTING. BECAUSE ART WAS THE CENTER OF HER FAMILY LIFE, SHE OFTEN DREW AND PAINTED AS A CHILD. HER FAMILY SPENT TIME IN ART MUSEUMS, AND SHE LEARNED TO BE COMFORTABLE VIEWING AND TALKING ABOUT ART. PICKFORD'S DINNER TABLE CONVERSATIONS WERE FREQUENTLY ABOUT THE LIVES AND WORKS OF GREAT PAINTERS. AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY, SHE NATURALLY GRAVITATED TOWARDS A DEGREE AT ART HISTORY. AFTER A RICH ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE IN NEW ENGLAND SHE MISSED CALIFORNIA 'S WEATHER AND LANDSCAPE AND RETURNED TO LIVE ON THE CENTRAL COAST. SHE RECEIVED TEACHING CREDENTIALS AT UC SANTA CRUZ. HER DEEP LOVE FOR CHILDREN AND ART LED HER TO A CAREER IN ART EDUCATION. AFTER SEVERAL YEARS TEACHING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AS AN ART SPECIALIST, SHE IS CURRENTLY THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION AT THE MONTEREY MUSEUM OF ART. THERE SHE DIVIDES HER TIME BETWEEN TRAVELING TO SCHOOLS WITH THE MUSEUM OF ART. THERE SHE DIVIDES HER TIME BETWEEN TRAVELING TO SCHOOLS WITH THE MUSEUM ON WHEELS, AN INTERNATIONAL FOLK ART EXHIBIT, AND TEACHING ART CLASSES AT THE MUSEUM.