the green cat studio history

Read more of Steph's musings, 1, 2, 3

I was born and raised in Western Kansas. I have a BSE in Psychology, Education, and Special Ed. In addition to working 8 hours a day in my studio, raising 3 children and a husband, I teach water aerobic and the arthritis class at the Salida Hot Springs, Salida, Colorado.

Through the years of 1984 to 1994, I volunteered to teach two art classes once a month at Dodge City, Kansas because the school system did not have art programs for the grade schools. I also taught art classes at the Carnegie Center for the Arts in Dodge City, Kansas. In the community, I was known as the “Glass Lady” to the adults and the “Picture Lady” to the children.

When I first started showing my art at D. O.’s, They labeled me eclectic. (I had to go home and look up eclectic in the dictionary. You know, it’s not one of those everyday words. At least, not in my vocabulary). I don’t know if I’m eclectic but I do a variety of art mediums. With each medium, there is a different style because the handling or manipulation of each medium is different.

My first art medium started with my glass work in 1976 at Dodge City, Kansas. I opened a glass retail store on Gunsmoke St. in 1979. With my glass work, I expanded my train of thought with sandblasting, fuseing, kilnforming, slumping, and patte-de-verre. From there, I went on to acrylic paint on linen, watercolor, pastel and oil paints.

Each medium is a form of expression. I usually go full circle starting with some kind of glass work and ending up with watercolor/pastel. I go on binges where I will do series of certain images such as cows, chickens, cats, horses, lizards, sheep, women and nudes.