OVERVIEW

  • 10+ years experience designing and creating alternative wedding dresses, clothing, corsets, costumes, accessories and upholstery. 

  • Professional tailor and seamstress experienced with a wide variety of industrial sewing machines including sergers, walking foot, coverstitch and embroidery machines.

  • Experienced with Clo3D, Optitex, Illustrator, Photoshop, NX and other CAD programs.

  • Proficient at hanging art shows as well as hanging and focusing lights for art galleries, dance and theatre performances.

  • 10+ years experience designing, hanging and programming theatre and art gallery lighting

  • Experience creating theatre props and sculptures. Skills include ceramics, carpentry and oxy-acetylene welding.

EXPERIENCE

ARTIST ASSISTANT 2024
Burkhead Art Center, Snohomish, WA

  • Assist Art Director with managing markets, sales and gallery

  • Design marketing media.

  • Design program planning

  • Maintain Art Center classrooms, gallery and boutique.

SOFTGOODS TECHNICIAN 2022-2024
Sigma Design, Kirkland, WA

  • Assisted researchers in creating wearable tech prototypes.

  • Refined CAD files using NX, Illustrator, Optitex, Clo3D, EPCWin, etc.

  • Designed programs & files for textile parts manufacturing.

  • Operated various machines including laser cutters, heat presses, embroidery machines, 3D printers, etc.

  • Wrote SOC/SOP documents for project builds and specialty equipment.

HEMMER 2021-2023  

Lululemon, Bellevue, WA

  • Fitted garments to customer specifications.

  • Hemmed and repaired garments using sergers and coverstitch machines.

  • Organized and made records of orders to ensure on time delivery, track efficiency and communicate with other hemmers on progress and priorities.

SEAMSTRESS/UPHOLSTERER 2020-2021

Len’s Awning and Canvas, Sioux Falls, SD

  • Sewed custom fitted boat covers from start to finish using an industrial walking foot machine.

  • Sewed awnings and other vehicle covers per custom orders.

  • Reupholstered seats from boats and other vehicles using original seats to pattern a new one.

  • Worked with many marine vinyls, leathers, canvases, and sunbrella materials. 

CORSETIERE/SEAMSTRESS 2013-2018

KMK Designs LLC, St Paul, MN

  • Manufactured corsets, cosplays, alternative wedding dresses and other garments and accessories from start to finish. Tasks included draping, patterning, cutting fabric, sewing, boning, binding, grommeting and lacing corsets.

  • Performed fittings with patrons to ensure proper fit and comfort for long term wear.

  • Traveled to conventions across the US to sell costumes and gothic/lolita garments. Tasks included set up and tear down, interacting with guests, fittings and sales.

SOUND AND LIGHT DESIGNER/OPERATOR 2018 - 2020

Minnsky Theatre, NE Minneapolis, MN 

  • Run sound during cabaret and theatre shows using a sound board and DEX

  • Designs and run lights for cabaret and theatre shows using a pre-patched light board

STAGE TECHNICIAN                                                                                   2018-2020

First Ave/Palace Theatre, Twin Cities, MN

  • Assist team with unloading and loading the trucks before and after events

  • Assembled truss systems, hung and programmed AV equipment

FREELANCE STAGE TECHNICIAN 2017–2020

Livewire Entertainment Media Services, LLC, Fargo, ND

  • Traveled to various venues around the midwest to help set up entertainment equipment for special events. 

  • Assist team with unloading and loading the trucks before and after events, assembling tress systems, hanging and programing AV equipment, building stages, setting up curtain backdrops

  • Experienced with scissors lift, forklifts, light and soundboards, and power tools needed to perform the job.

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR (Fairywing Forest Realm) 2015-2016

Minnesota Renaissance Festival, Shakopee, MN

  • Managed a group of performers for 2 seasons of the Renaissance Festival.

  • Assisted performers in character creation and development, costume building and improv rehearsals.

  • Created a visual concept for the Fairywing Forest and built set designs with the help of the performers.

  • Led rehearsals for aerial performances.

VOLUNTEER WORK

  • Teaching artist and volunteer - Creator Zone, Lake Stevens, WA

  • Open Arts Ambassador - Volunteer teacher in an Open Arts Lab, Bellevue, WA

  • Culture Club Event Planner - Sigma Design, Redmond, WA

  • Grant Funded Teaching Artist - Taught immigrant women to sew, St Paul, MN

  • Teaching Artist Residency - Big Brother Big Sister, Minneapolis, MN

  • Art Curator/Gallery Committee - Artspace Jackson Flats, Minneapolis, MN

EDUCATION

Minnesota State University, Mankato, MN

BFA: Sculpture 

BA: Theatre Design and Technology (Costume focus)

Minor: Art History

Lorenzo de Medici, Florence, Italy (Study Abroad)

Fashion Draping, B&W Photography, Marble Sculpture, Mosaics, Italian 

ESL Teacher- VIPKID

TESOL Certified (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)

PUBLICATIONS                                                                                                                   

Harsma, Kristin J. (2010). Crossing the Divide Between Art and Craft. Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato, 10 (1). Digital file. Retrieved from http://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/jur/vol10/iss1/4/