I examined and evaluated three sets of gallery installations and related handmade books. The following questions were considered foremost: 1) Visually, how different from and how similar to the gallery installations are the books? 2) What verbal elements are adapted from the installations to the books? 3) How does the difference in format (that is, the books) alter or affect the content and meaning of the installations?

The purpose of this project was to create and present groups of stelae which contain personal imagery derived from archetypal feminine symbols used as hieroglyphs. The groupings of the stelae, by nature of the problem, took on a ritual appearance. Two groups of twelve stelae each were constructed with materials and techniques used in a fiber tradition. Each individual stele was designed to function alone as well as in a group.

I constructed ceramic/mixed media instruments, recorded rhythmic music composed for and played on my instruments, and prepared a slide presentation portraying my daily rituals a studio artist. I describe in this paper the process involved in creating this environment and give an interpretation of the work by answering the following questions. 1. What were the rituals that were essential to the creation of my work? 2. In what ways did the use of the different visual and audio media work together to create a unified environment? 3. In what ways was the total experience of the different media a more direct and fulfilling expression of my goals as an artist, or are these goals better fulfilled when working in one media?

Ikat is a technique used throughout the world for the surface enrichment of textiles. In Ikat, patterns are dyed into the warp, weft, or both by the use of various resists such as twine or plastic wrapped tightly around a group of yarns. The dyed yarns are then unwrapped and woven into fabric. Instead of stretching an entire warp or weft on a frame to apply resist, yarn can also be measured into small groups for tying and dyeing. These small groups of yarn can be dyed with simple patterns and later rearranged and combined to create more complex designs. In order to investigate the possibilities of the above mentioned methods, a series of Ikat fabrics was developed.

The problem of this study was to compare the expectations of the interior design profession regarding entry level requirements of new graduates of Southwest Texas State University and the present interior design curriculum at Southwest Texas State University. Questionnaires seeking information regarding skills and knowledge thought necessary for graduating interior design students were sent to professional interior designers in the South Texas area. Simple descriptive statistics were used to analyze the responses. The survey of the interior designers practicing in the South Texas areas conducted in this needs assessment of the Interior Design program at Southwest Texas State University supports giving consideration to the development of new courses or content revision of existing interior design courses offered at Southwest Texas State University.

The problem, as proposed for this project, focused on an investigation of the possibility of using a layering method in weaving to effect a visual color mix. Colored layers of transparent fabric were to be woven simultaneously, in such a way as to retain a structural separateness while producing a perceptual blending of color. A minimum of three weavings were to be made with yarns dyed to control hue, value, and intensity, and each varying in number of layers from two to four. Technical sketches in the form of maquettes were to precede work on the loom, and throughout the process a journal was to be kept to record pertinent data and guide analysis and evaluation.

A major emphasis in my graduate studies in ceramics at North Texas State University has been on the production of raku wall pieces. Raku appealed to me for its unusual metallic glaze effects and the accidental qualities of the glazes and clay bodies due to the smoking reduction that takes place after the piece is removed from the kiln. During this same period I was also interested in and experimenting with the use of electroforming as a method of jewelry making. Again, the accidental qualities of this process were appealing. It was during these experiments, especially those involving non-conductive surfaces, that i frist considered applying the process to large ceramic pieces. The stoneware pieces were limited in size since they were to be developed into pieces of jewelry.

For my creative project I produced five life-size pieces consisting of human and animal figures constructed in clay and mixed media. Rather than creating figures around or as part of an environment, the figure, being the primary subject, dictated what type and how much of an environment I built. I explored the manipulation of the materials in order to determine how best to produce emotional impact.