Tomorrow I will be installing my new show, Basics, at the Notre Dame of Maryland University. Preparing for this show has been a lot of work, and there is still more to do! Last night I found myself browsing the internet for last minute ideas on how I might want to hang my most recent paper works. Take a look at some of my favorite finds!

The above piece is a collaborative installation created by students at the University of Toledo. For my work, I am always searching for ideas on how to present paper art without simply gluing it all down as a collage. I love the floating elements here, the light, the colors, and the different size circles coming together. Well done, students!

I have also been thinking about using pins to float paper off the wall, and found good examples of that being done effectively in the works of Hope Hilton.

I enjoy Hilton's installations for her use of simplified, symbolic shapes, and her way of grouping and spreading out the shapes to create feelings of crowdedness, isolation, sameness, and organic change. The way these pieces float alone from the wall also gives the sense isolation and tension, suspended in mid-air by one vulnerable pin. Many of my installations use grouping and repetition as well, though the shapes I create are more varied in color, shapes and texture. It is intriguing to see Hilton's way of working, though, with clean, consistent laser-cut shapes and colors.

An artist that demonstrates color and texture quite well is Britt Bass. I found her work by google-searching paper sculpture, and was very inspired by her beautiful installations, full of movement and found materials.

I like to work on a large scale as well, often with found materials, so this work is very exciting to me. It looks like this is a very young artist too, graduating with her BFA in 2011, so I am extra impressed!

Another artist who is using found materials and making incredible large-scale installations is Abhidnya Ghuge. It seems she's been working with paper plates quite a bit, creating installations that cling to the wall in certain places but also hang from the ceiling in others. I am love the colors, shapes and depth she creates by transforming and amassing plates of different colors and patterns. I enjoy that she is creating actual new environments in some of her work, not just art on a wall.

Who are some of your favorite artists?

If you're on this site, you probably know I am an artist, but I also work at a nonprofit, Maryland New Directions (MND). At MND, we help low-income adults make positive changes in their lives through employment. I first began working there 3 years ago, looking for a decent full-time job where 1) I could make a difference 2) stay in Baltimore and 3) still make my art. It has been a good fit over the years, and I am proud to say the job has held up to my expectations.

I believe everyone deserves the chance to earn a comfortable living and enjoy what they do. That is what most people want, myself included. At this organization, I have witnessed many individuals gain not only jobs, but confidence, self-esteem, happiness, and security. Our clients sing our praises and share their success stories with us every day. I am extremely proud to work here, as I love this city and want to be a part of the positive change in our communities. About 25% of Baltimore City residents live in poverty. That is not good enough for us as staff, and we work very hard to help break the cycle of joblessness and poverty.

Since starting work here, I have learned a ton about nonprofits and what it takes to run them. Our job-readiness services are free to those in need, but it does take blood, sweat, tears, and ultimately funding to have a lasting impact on the lives of others. Part of my job is to make sure we have enough funding to keep our organization running, and this year we have launched a campaign inviting people from the community to give to our cause. Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a village to change a village.

Please donate to this campaign. Your gift will help others discover their talents and interests and earn income for themselves.