Milestones

My road in life took a while to figure out.
I got involved in and enjoyed theater when I was a kid in Minnesota.
But I was also interested in science and wanted to be a doctor so I majored in biology in college.
In my junior year, I went to India and came back and realized I wasn't happy.
I remembered how happy I was doing theater so I started taking theater classes.
Then I found myself in the costume shop and I loved the work and loved the people.
I went to grad school in California to get more experience.
Then I worked for a major opera company.
Then I had a family and moved back to the midwest and started working for theaters there.

Education

High School
Bachelor
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
Graduate
Costume Design
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Career

Costume Designer / Wardrobe Supervisor

I design, create and maintain costumes for local theater companies.

Career Roadmap

Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Acting & Theatre
Fashion
Problem Solving

Day to Day

It kind of depends on what stage of a design I am on but it is usually like this....I take my kids to school and then work in my studio, either looking for images on the internet or working on organizational paperwork or sewing something or shopping. The afternoons are for my kids but sometimes we squeeze in a shopping trip. Dinner. Bedtime for the kids and then more time in the studio, either doing computer work or hand sewing in front of the TV (too tired to do anything else).

Advice for Getting Started

Here's the first step for high school students

Start making stuff. Either sewing or crafting or drawing, whatever. Start using your hands to solve problems. I wish I started making stuff earlier, to build my confidence in that kind of problem solving. Also, find a group of people making stuff too and work with them. It is great to see all the different ways people solve problems. Get an internship in a costume shop somewhere. Do all the jobs they give you but while you are doing it, watch others work, how they solve problems.

Recommended Education

My career is not related to what I studied. I'd recommend this path instead:

Hurdles

The Noise I Shed

From Parents:

"No one said 'you should' but there was no model for an artistic career in my family. Theater was a hobby. I got into a performing arts high school when I was 16 and my parents were reluctant to let me go because they were worried about what "theater life" was like (drugs, body image issues, narcissism, etc, I guess) so I didn't go. My dad encouraged my interest in science and I liked that encouragement. So it took me a little while to go off on my own."