I started my MFA program at SIU in the fall of 1975.  I was fortunate enough to have a Teaching Assistantship for the entire time of my program.  I am forever grateful for that help.  Otherwise, my MFA would have been out of reach at that time.  The program was challenging and engaging.  I had my studio at the foundry and that worked out great as all but one of my thesis pieces were cast bronze, aluminum, or iron.  In several pieces, I mixed different metals.

Relationally, it was also a unique experience.  Days were long.  The best advice I received in the beginning of the program is that this was likely to be the best opportunity to concentrate on just making sculpture that I might ever have.  That turned out to be true and I don’t feel I wasted any time there.  I became friendly with most people in the program as well as with some undergrad students.  I was grateful for the other foundry majors as we depended on each other to manage the heavy materials and casting processes.  I grew as a young artist during these two years.  I always felt as if I was being challenged to do my very best.  It set the tone for how I approached art and other work for the rest of my career.