Some of Ms. Burkin's Own Artwork

Being an unemployed art teacher, or underemployed as the case may be, is financially really tough. But, there is one major advantage; time to make your own artwork! When teaching art the energy for producing one's own work is very low. This winter I took advantage of my free time to make more paintings, collages, and other types of work. Here are some of the results...

This piece is 12" x 12", as are all of the rest on this post. It is acrylic on wood, and part of a series of images of birds. Don't know why I like painting birds, but I do.

More birds, but this time made with paper, not paint.
This piece is $100, where as the rest of them on wood or canvas are $250.

I call this one Spring Birds.

This is part of a series of collages that I did inspired by some of my feminist reading that I did over 15 years ago,
as an undergraduate.
I decided it was okay to tear up a couple of books since
when my dog was a puppy he mangled them pretty badly anyway.

This piece is called A Dress in the Making and uses actual patterns.
 I like to sew too, and I am obsessed with cute baby clothes.

This piece is called Steps From Home.

I make actual bags, but it was fun to make miniature bags too.
I also used to dress a lot of forms when I did display design for Bloomingdales so this piece gave me a chance
to play with clothes again.

My black lab, Dyllan, inspires a lot of my paintings. He is my muse. He takes his job seriously.

Dyllan will do just about anything for a treat.

My dad was very into fishing. I made this on his birthday, a couple a years after he passed away.

My sister inspired me to make this piece. I saw a painting that I really liked, and wanted to buy it. She reminded me that we are artists, who make our own art - we do not buy other people's art. Well, sometimes I do, when I can afford it.

My mother inspired this piece. She had been to southern Florida and brought home a picture of two beach chairs and challenged to to paint them.