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My friend Liz teachers art at Long Island University in Brooklyn. Liz's medium is ceramics. When I was in my early 20's my husband had bought me a wonderful pair of earrings made by Liz. I used to wear them to parties, they were my special earrings. A few years later, Liz walked into the synagogue office where I worked and introduced herself. Liz was a little surprised at my reaction to hearing her name, "Liz Rudey the artist?? Wow!! I love your work!'.

We were in the same baby group together a few years later and have become fond friends. This semester,Liz was teaching an honors class in collaboration with a feminist scholar.The class was a multi-media exploration of Judy Chicago's "The Dinner Party" The class was both an opportunity for the students to explore feminist texts and the women who were part of Judy Chicago's piece as well as an opportunity for the young women in the class to create their own "Dinner Party" installation based on their own choices of dinner guests.They each were to make a place setting for their guest.

Margaret, the feminist scholar, did the text element of the class. Liz worked with the students so they could each create a plate, chalice and silverware for their dinner guest out of clay.   Liz asked me to share my work with the students and to teach them some fiber embellishment techniques so the students could make table runners, and napkins for their guest.

Working with the class was a blast. I showed my work and then the students shared their ideas of what they wanted to do for their runners with me. I  talked through techniques with the students. I showed them any techniques they wanted to learn , and discussed various ways to make  their ideas happen.

Yesterday was the opening of the installation. I was blown away by the work these students had done.The young woman who had chosen Freida Kahlo made a plate in the shape of a bed, with Freida's eyebrows and eyes in the center of it. The student drew the sorts of flowers common in Mexican embroideries on her table runner, then she added a collaged and painted border made in the style of Kalho's paintings.

I'm asking Liz to send me photos.



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