Amy Burns:
CLASS OF 1994
Mariner High SchoolClass of 1994
Everett, WA
Eisenhower Middle SchoolClass of 1990
Everett, WA
Longview Elementary SchoolClass of 1987
Moses lake, WA
Silver Lake Elementary SchoolClass of 1987
Everett, WA
Warden Elementary SchoolClass of 1987
Warden, WA
Amy's Story
Life
It's been an amazing, interesting and tough ride... In the last ten years I have lived in several states all over the country (MA, CA, NY, NH, VT), and in Europe for a summer, been diagnosed with Lupus and a rare form of breast cancer, and married my sweetheart. With all that activity I still found some stillness within to figure out what I want to do with my life - make blank books.
School
I moved around a great deal while growing up and have attended so many different schools in the state of Washington.
Advantages of frequent changing of schools are learning to quickly adapt to new environments, reinventing myself, and being able to escape negative attention.
There are great disadvantages too. Maintaining friendships with former classmates is difficult when your phone number and address changes so frequently. Missing out on certain lessons left me at a cultural and educational disadvantage. For example, the first time I read any thing by Shakespeare was in college!
I was the first in my family to attend and graduate from a university, which has been a source of great pride for myself and my family. I really believe that education is incredibly important and I appreciate the magnificent opportunities I've enjoyed.
College
I absolutely hated high school and only went to college because my boyfriend went and I didn't know what I would do if I didn't go too.
Even if I went for the wrong reasons, my decision to attend college was one of the best choices I've made in my life. I appreciate that decision every day of my life.
At WSU, I was very passionate about both of my Bachelors degrees. The first was Women's Studies. The second was Comparative American Cultures (or studying the different cultures within America). I was also highly involved in both the Gay Lesbian Bisexual and Allies Program, and the ASWSU GLBTA.
After college, I worked for a couple years and then began applying for graduate school. I moved to Boston to attend Simmons College for a Masters in Teaching program. Although I loved my courses and had a 4.0, I knew that teaching was not the exact way I wanted to fulfill my li...Expand for more
fe purpose.
Several years later... I would really like to get an MFA in printmaking and bookbinding. So, I'm working on a portfolio. When my partner applies to PhD programs in a couple years, I'll be applying to MFA programs.
Workplace
I worked my way through high school and college, sometimes in crappy jobs and other times I worked with amazing people and for amazing companies.
Immediately after college I began working for Cocoon House, a teen shelter in Everett WA. This place had been somewhat of a haven for me as a youth and I was ecstatic to have an opportunity to give back to a place that nurtured me in times of alienation and desperation.
I stayed with Cocoon in various positions for two years before moving to Boston. After a couple piddly jobs during graduate school I was finally able to find a company, (Recap Advisors) that could truly take advantage of many of my skills and talents, and provide me the opportunity to grow and learn.
Recap was a dynamic and challenging environment for me - I loved working there. Before falling ill from Lupus I had been promoted several times and worked in Computer Networking, Human Resources, and Accounts Payable/Receivable. Unfortunately after four years at Recap I became quite ill and was unable to continue working. It took 5 years before I had health insurance again and could find out it was Lupus that was giving me so much trouble.
During this time of poor health I did what I could to start my own business - life coaching and creating art. In summer 2011, after breast surgery, I retired from life coaching and moved to full time art creation.
Initially my art focused around acrylic painting and ceramics/pottery. The pottery is bit difficult for me physically due to Lupus, and the cost of renting studio space or building my own studio was a barrier. So, over the years I've moved toward creating art that is small in scale, non-toxic, and accomplished in my home studio. Now I create blank books - travel journals, gratitude journals, and sketchbooks that people can use for their own contemplation and reflection. I'm so happy to be creating books :)
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