Julie Marks Blackstone, Assistant Professor has continued, earning her the Distinguished of Art at Oklahoma Baptist University (OBU) in Teaching Award from OBU in 2019, the highest Shawnee, started her journey towards fiber art at academic honor the university has to offer. the suggestion of OBU Professor Janie Wester, Blackstone teaches a variety of mediums a master rug weaver. as a professor, but as Interested primarily in an artist is perhaps ceramics, painting, and best known for her drawing at the time, fiber work. Her “Knotty Blackstone began to Girl” series, created study fiber art under using a French Knot Wester’s mentorship embroidery technique and eventually with embellishments, began teaching full- are portraits of time at OBU in 1981. inspiring women. In When OBU paid for her historical series, Blackstone to attend an Blackstone portrays embroidery workshop historical figures, while under Professor Mary also utilizing fiber to Ruth Smith at Baylor create color palettes University, Blackstone and recognizable was inspired to begin designs in homage to experimenting with other artists. Her work fiber as a primary has been accepted medium while utilizing a into multiple shows, more painterly palette, including Fiberworks, greatly influencing where she has won the works she creates “Best of Show” today. Much like her three times, and the colleagues Husky and Handweavers Guild Grubbs, Blackstone is of America’s Small a committed educator, Expressions touring devoted to passing exhibits. her knowledge to future generations of artists. She views art education as her true calling, hese three brilliant, women fiber artists, and considers her own work in fiber art an Tthrough their steadfast commitment to important extension of her teaching. By 1997 education, have ensured that the long history Blackstone was teaching ceramics, stained of fiber art will be remembered. Further, the glass, color theory, figure drawing, and fiber art. connections they have carefully weaved between Her dedication to education and her students one another and the broader community Pamela Husky, Rocky Mountain Wildflowers, Hand Dyed, Spun, and Felted Wool and Silk, 55 x 38. Photo courtesy Pamela Husky. 77 35