I cannot remember a time when I was not trying to make something

---anything---or fix something or rearrange possessions to make my work

area and my life a little easier. Most of my adult life I have been

self-employed and every job I have had contributes to my art today.

For me, life and art are inseparable. I find inspiration everywhere I

look. I usually approach my artwork from a concept, and then find the

techniques or materials to capture the idea and this often brings me to

working in mixed media. When I must give myself a title, I call myself

a fine craft artist.

In the past, I have done everything from managing a bed and breakfast,

an arts and crafts co-op, antiques and collectibles shop, to working as a

general contractor in the remodeling and building maintenance industry.

I have always loved my work.

At present, I am working mostly in polymer clays, air dry clays, fabrics,

inks, paints and anything else that works for a particular idea! I started a

Mixed Media Art Guild in North Carolina to promote Mixed Media Art.

I am a member of the Capital Area Polymer Clay Guild and the

If you would like to see my studio and how I work, please take a look. I

have collected textiles, mainly old laces, for over forty years. I also collect

the old French boudoir girl cocktail napkins, way too many art books,

buttons and beads, and any kind of found object that I think may one day

be the perfect item for a piece of artwork. Since I do not have any pets for

you to look at, take a look at the baby birds that nest in our yard.

I have one wonderful husband and one son living in Alaska. My second

son died from Crohn’s Disease at the age of fourteen. I spent most of my

adult life in Alaska so that will probably always be home to me, but we are

fast putting down roots in North Carolina in the form of fruit trees that

my husband will probably never want to leave. But we may have to move

when we have no place to plant more. Life is good in North Carolina.

Jeanne Rhea 3519 Baugh Street Raleigh, NC 27604 Phone 919.850.9278 jrhea@nc.rr.com