Curriculum Vitae for Becky Jo Minsky (a.k.a. Hull)
Bankstown, NSW 2200
Email: platypy@unwired.com.au
Professional Experience - Artistic - USA / Australia
I am a multi-media artist. I have been publicly exhibiting and selling my artworks since 1975. My original fine artworks, signed limited edition prints and fine craftworks are in private collections throughout the states of Colorado, Florida, Oklahoma, Ohio, Texas, Michigan and West Virgina in the USA. I have one painting in a corporate collection in Colorado. I came to Australia in 2000 and became a Permanent Resident of Australia in April 2008. My current artwork can be viewed at the Pymble Gallery at the Rocks in Sydney. If you are interested in purchasing or viewing any of my original fine artworks or art prints, you can contact Kym Bonnefin who is co-owner of Pymble gallery on his mobile: 0415 178 248.
I began drawing realistic portraits when I was about five years old. I studied Commercial Arts and Graphics Arts at Pikes Peak Community College in Colorado Springs, CO, USA for 2 years. I attended the following classes...
Studio Techniques, Drawing, Design, Advanced Design, Media & Illustration, Advanced Drawing, Ceramics I, Layout, Copy Preparation & Paste-Up, Process Camera Line Photography, Lithography Press Operations I, Photo Stripping & Platemaking, Bindery Procedures, Illustration Studio I, Illustration Studio II, Process Camera Halftone Photography, Commercial Photography for Graphic Students.
I am learning how to master various Computer Arts programs to incorporate into my various works.
I am proficient in all drawing techniques using pencil, coloured pencil, charcoal, pen & ink, coloured inks, chalk pastels, transparent watercolours, gouache (opaque watercolours), acrylic and oil paints, wax and oil crayons and of course, mixed media. I am proficient in varous disciplines of paper craft such as how to marbelize paper, decoupage, work with papier-mache, how to make paper flowers, cut intricate paper snowflakes, etc. I also knit, embroider, needlepoint, cross-stitch, do beadwork. I love playing with clay as well as other mouldable materials. I especially enjoy creating mosaics using bits of tile, mirror, coloured glass and found objects in a variety of applications.
In the States, I have sold my original arts and crafts designs at arts and crafts shows & festivals, through specialty boutique shops and to individual collectors as well as by special orders. I have also worked as a freelance Commercial Artist, Graphic Artist and Illustrator on various projects including designing business logos and matching business stationery and business cards, brochures, advertising and signs. I have done some illustration work for a few small publications and was a Freelance Staff Illustrator for Colorado Springs City Magazine. I have also designed and created a few wall murals for businesses and individuals. I worked as a Visual Merchandiser creating window displays, interior and exterior sales displays, and decorating stores and businesses for holidays and special events.
Years ago I used to work at United Designs - a stoneware pottery company in the States, first as a glazer - hand glazing and decorating stoneware pots, mugs and lamps. I also helped load and unload the kiln and wired the lamps. I later worked for the same company as a process line painter painting collectible figurines which they shipped all over the world.
I taught and continue to teach Arts & Crafts to children through the years. I am presently working on the weekends at Bunnings teaching Arts & Crafts Workshops to the children of Bunnings shoppers as well as to some of the parents and doing Face-Painting. Since I took over the Kids DIY (Do-It-Yourself) Workshops there, along with the conventional craft kits that Bunnings supplies for the Workshops, I am teaching the kids how to make paper flowers, how to make masks out of various materials, how to make party hats, how to make magic wands as well as coming up with spontaneous artistic creations based on their special requests. Basically, in my Workshops, I teach my students how to access their natural creative gifts, how to express, explore and experiment with their inborn talents through various mediums, practical artistic techniques, how to use their tools and materials for best effect and how to develop creative problem-solving skills.
Since early October 2010 I have been working for Cartoon Kingdom as a Freelance Children's Entertainer on a contract basis, running Arts & Crafts Workshops throughout the Sydney Metro Area. I have been government approved for working with children.
As of February 2011, my husband & I have formed our own business called Flower Queen Entertainment. I run Arts & Crafts Workshops, do Face-Painting, Story Telling, and create my handcrafted Paper Flowers for Special Events for individuals, businesses, corporations and government. My husband organises the business taking bookings for myself and other entertainers. You can see photos of some of our recent Arts & Crafts Workshops (Mask-Making), Face-Painting designs & Paper Flowers on my webpage at www.theloop.com.au/app/people/portfolio/beckyjohull.aka.minsky
Anyone who wants to hire us to work on a special creative Event or to purchase my Paper Flowers can contact us at our email address for our rates and booking availability. We check our emails on a daily basis and will contact you as soon as possible. I am only allowed to have seven images of my artwork on this website. Aside from samples of my fine artwork, I am including one image of my Paper Flowers to give you an idea of the quality of my work.
NOTE: Any accredited Children's Entertainers looking for extra work in the Sydney Metro and Western Area, please contact us with your details and samples of your skills.
Public Art Exhibitions, Shows and Artistic Awards Received - Australia
2011 Pymble Gallery - The Rocks - Sydney, Australia
- currently exhibiting “Releasing Hope To Banish All Despair” and “A Piece/Peace Of My Mind”
2010 - Bunnings - Lidcombe, NSW
- Received "Outstanding Customer Service Award for Best Face-Painting
2009 - Arts Alive Fairfield Prize Exhibition - Club Marconi, Bossley Park, NSW
- Received 'Highly Commended' Award for “Joy and Sorrow"
2008 - Royal Arts Easter Show - Sydney Royal Easter Show - Sydney, Australia
- exhibited “A Piece/Peace Of My Mind”
2007 - Royal Arts Easter Show - Sydney Royal Easter Show - Sydney, Australia
- exhibited “Refuse To Despair”
Public Art Exhibitions, Shows and Artistic Awards Received - USA
1990 - New Western Images Exhibit - Pikes Peak Area Artists 1990 Invitational - Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center - Colorado Springs, CO, USA
By special invitation, created “Dream Weaver” especially for this show
1989 - Starfest ‘89 Art Show - Star Trek Convention - Denver, CO, USA
Won Best of Show Ribbon for “She Walks In Beauty...” and won First Place ribbon in Fantasy Category for “Inspiration”
1989 - Business of Art Centre - Manitou Springs, CO, USA - Studio Artist
Visiting “Resident Artist” for six months… created fine artwork at public group fine art studio and sold my work through studio gallery. Studio was designed so visitors could watch resident artists as we worked. JPTA Agency in Colorado Springs funded my stay there.
1987 - International Art Challenge - Hollywood American Dream Festival - Los Angles, CA, USA
Won Gold Medal in New Age category for “It’s Only Water/See Of Dreams”
Received Award Of Excellence for “Seasong” and “It’s Only Water/See Of Dreams”
1986 - Festival of Trees Exhibit - Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, Colorado Springs, CO
Decorated a Christmas tree for this exhibit using my own hand-made ornaments. I sold these original designs to local private collectors directly at arts & crafts shows/festivals, through boutique specialty shops and by special orders.
References in Australia
Mr. Kon Parris, Artist - Parramatta, NSW - Phone and FAX (02) 9687 - 8055 / Email: parrisart@exemail.com.au
Ms. Anna Boros, Artist - Penrith, NSW - Email: annatboros@gmail.com.au
1. Artist Statement for “Joy and Sorrow”
Joy is a bright yellow lovebird , so small it can nestle in the palm of your hand. It’s name is ‘Precious’. Pure of heart, full of Life and Love . . . it flies after Sorrow whenever it can and sings an enchanting song about the Beauty of the Moment. All too soon, it disappears in a burst of brilliance like a phoenix into the sun.
Sorrow lingers and sighs “Woe is me.” She laments “If only . . . ” and weeps inconsolably. Blinded by Grief, she stumbles along in her own private Darkness and wishes for her heart to turn to stone or freeze solid so she can no longer feel the Loss of Joy.
Grief marks us. The scars of Loving and Losing - all the scars that can be seen and the ones we carry within our heart, mind and spirit - those are merely proof that we have LIVED. Because the Pain of Loving and then Losing can be so overwhelming, it is natural to fear Losing again and thus to try to avoid Loving again and so tempting to try to numb ourselves to the point that we feel nothing at all. It is that kind of thinking that helps create a Winter of Discontent and makes the world a colder, more inhospitable place for all living creatures. If we do not feel Sorrow, we also cannot feel Joy. Do not turn away from Love because of Fear of Loss if and when Love is offered to you. Love is a special and Sacred Gift. Love is healing - for those who give it and those who receive it. Love gives us the power to do almost anything except raise the dead, and even then . . . Love tries.
Life is Change . . . yet no day is over if it makes a memory.
The memory of a past Joy is like a glimpse of sunlight on a cold, snowy winter day . . . As pale as the winter sun is, it is still bright enough to bring tears to our eyes and show us the Beauty that surrounds us. Even though it may be so cold, we cannot feel the warmth of the winter sunlight on our skin, it is still warm enough to melt a heart frozen by Grief.
So be gentle with yourself and learn to make Peace with your Pain. Take comfort in the possibility that Joy may find you again. But know this . . . Joy likes to play “Hide and Seek”. It rarely takes the same form twice. How else can it surprise us when we least expect it?
Becky Jo Minsky
October 26, 2008
2. Artist Statement for ". . . Releasing Hope To Banish All Despair . . . "
“. . . THEN It squeezed me tighter still and something deep WITHIN me broke .
AN Egg of Preconceived Notions shattered,
RELEASING Hope to banish all Despair .
NO longer pliant puppet toy, no longer Sacrificial Lamb .
EMPOWERED by the Light of Truth .
NOW Something Different, Something More .
REPELLED
FEAR recoiled, confused,
WITHDREW . . .”
Becky Jo Minsky
June 2009