About Me

I am an experienced knitter and ceramicist with over 10 years of experience in knitting, ceramics, art and design. I am also a retinal biologist. I believe there is a strong connection between biology and art. It is only through sensory perception that we are able to experience the wonders of art, be it music through hearing, or paintings through vision. My works with fiber and clay are heavily influenced by this relationship between art and the senses.

Science and Art Come Together

I obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology at Loyola College in Baltimore, MD in 1999. Shortly after college I moved to Philadelphia, PA, where I worked as a research specialist in a cell biology lab at the University of Pennsylvania. During my four years at Penn, I enrolled in post-baccalaureate classes in Fine Arts, with an emphasis on ceramics. Through my scientific research and the art I was producing, I became aware that there was an intimate connection between science and art. I was particularly intrigued by the ability of the visual system to process information about color, contrast and light in such a way that a complex image was formed within the brain. The steps beyond that processing - how the brain was able to associate this image with a particular emotion -was an extremely fascinating problem. We have all experienced feeling "moved" by a work of art - but how does this happen on a cellular level?

These questions led me to pursue graduate studies in Visual Biology. In 2004, I entered the Neuroscience Graduate Program at the Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, OR, where I studied retinal function in the laboratories of Drs. David Robinson and Chuck Allen. In 2008, I received my doctorate, which focused on understanding how retinal degeneration affects circadian rhythms. After completion of my thesis, I returned to New York City where I am currently a post-doctoral fellow of Neuroscience at Fordham University. I am interested in understanding the daily regulation of retinal function that is crucial to vision.

Fiber and Clay

It was a dear friend of mine, Carla, who introduced me to knitting. And I was immediately hooked! The colors and textures of the seemingly endless combinations of stitches and fibers won me over. What I also found attractive about this craft is its portability - I knit on the train, I knit in the movies, I knit while I walk! It can also be meditative. I find a striking complement to my yoga practice in my knitting. And finally, it can be social. I became aware of this last characteristic when I began to feel a need to have people to knit with. As a result, while a graduate student in Portland, I began a knitting circle - the Neurotrans-Knitters. Many of the members were new to knitting, so I taught them. To my surprise, the group quickly grew to over 50 members, and these knitters were also hooked! Even more surprisingly, I was awarded the OHSU Wellness Award, for promoting wellness in the OHSU community through knitting! And the group still continues today. And it seems that everyone I go, I recruit people to knit with.

While in Portland, I also continued my ceramics work at a studio called Radius Studio. It was there that I began to place a lot of focus on creating texture within my work. I practiced carving techniques and became very excited by the feel of the textured surfaces. I began to expand my focus on visual perception to include other sensory pathways - namely tactile perception, which has a strong role in both knitting ad ceramics. I am currently continuing my exploration of surface designs at Mugi Studio in NYC, where I also teach a children's ceramics class.

Giving back

I believe as crafters and artists, we have a gift - the ability to create. I feel passionately about using this gift to give to others. So, I knit for a number of charities. With the Neurotrans-Knitters, I knit preemie caps for premature infants at the Children's Hospital. I currently knit bears for Mother Bear Project, a non-profit organization which provides hand-knit and crocheted bears to children affected by HIV/AIDS in emerging nations. Without these bears, these children would have no toys at all, something that should simply never exist. I have also started creating custom knit products for sale to support Hands to Hearts International, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the health and well-being of orphaned and vulnerable children and economically disadvantaged women around the globe. These items can be found through my etsy site at http://www.etsy.com/shop/lindabelinda.

Yarn Caddies

I am also the inventor of the String Along Yarn Caddy. This little item keeps your yarn clean and free from curious cats and devilish dogs. It has been featured by www.knitty.com.

http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring08/FEATspr08stuff.html

And is currently being sold through etsy. Please see http://www.etsy.com/shop/lindabelinda for ordering information.