ALUMNI ARTIST ALYSSA OLEA

As I mentioned the other day,

many of my ex-students have been reaching out to check on my status in these crazy times,

and also to show me what they've been creating.

Today I want to feature 2012 Alumni Alyssa Olea.

I've spoken about her many times on the blog here,

as a ceramics students and T.A. in 2011  and 2012,

and then after graduation as my paid Technical Assistant 2012-2019

(loading kilns, mixing glazes, photographing art work, entering grades, etc.).

When Alyssa first started college she was focusing more on a Communications Major,

but after working with me and the students in the classroom decided she wanted to be an Art Teacher.

YES!!!!

In fact,

she was one of the youngsters I was grooming to take over for me when I retired,

but we all know how that didn't work out.

Anyways,

she changed courses and began working on her Art Degree,

and now is in her last year of college.

Sadly all her classes have gone on line, 

yet she is thriving because she loves what she is doing.

These are pictures of a few of her pieces from her Booking Making class.

Each is a different kind of book,

some sculptural and some traditional,

all lovely.

It even looks like she was required to create surface design on the materials she used.

I see some marbleizing, watercolor, and paper cutouts.

Some materials thin some thicker.

What I told Alyssa was that I was really impressed with her outstanding design & color sense 

as well as her impeccable craftsmanship.

These gorgeous books required massive amounts of time, energy and patience,

and I'm as proud of her as I can be.

This last one below is my favorite because it's so unusual and so very complex.

Her choice of a monochromatic color scheme in these beautiful aquas 

as well as subject matter also pulls me in.

Bravo Alyssa!!!!