Why Nate Barton Works

Resume

Nate Barton etannotrab@gmail.com (919) 623-6795

mechanations.blogspot.com

Proﬁle

I believe that every person has a gift or talent. It is my job as an

educator to seek out these abilities and to help cultivate them so

that they might bear fruit.

Experience

ARTIST/INDUSTRIAL DESIGNER June 2012- Present

I have been an artist my entire life. I have always had two passions; a passion for education people and a passion for making beautiful things with my hands. This past year I have taken a leap of faith and am attempting to make beautiful things.

GRADE 4 TEACHER, WASHINGTON GT MAGNET ELEMENTARY, 2005-2012

While teaching the fourth grade in Raleigh for the last seven years I

was a team leader, on the PBIS committee for four years,

participated in the writing, technology, and reading committees

chairing the writing team for two years. Additionally, I mentored

three students teachers and led three technology seminars for

education students at Meredith college.

RESIDENCE LIFE COORDINATOR, DUKE TIP, SUMMER 2010

Leadership role in charge of residential staff for the Duke Talent

Identiﬁcation Program. We managed over two hundred students

and twenty-ﬁve college aged staff for eight weeks during the

summer on Duke's west campus.

GRADE 3 TEACHER, SAND HILL VENABLE, 2005

Interim teacher where I facilitated learning for a spectrum of

abilities.

Education

Florida Atlantic University, Elementary Education Degree, 2003

2012- Present: Artist/ Illustrator/ Industrial Designer at Nate Barton Works

References

To be presented upon request.

Statement

For all of my life I have had a fascination with what could be accomplished with my hands. When I was seven my grandfather had me over to his workshop and together he and I created Christmas gifts for my family. For my dad I built a small tool box, my mother a wooden planter, and for my aunt I made a tissue box cover on which I painted a turtle, her favorite animal. Thus the foundation was laid.
From that time on I have been a maker. In the eighth grade I took a costuming class where I learned to sew. From that I made a line of hats which called Nhats whose sales paid for a winter trip.
You name it and I quite likely have pursued it if it is a creative possibility that does not require too much background knowledge. From fiber arts (macrame, sewing, weaving), to paper arts (making your own paper, origami), to carpentry, fine and rough (I built a guitar last year as well as my pottery, painting and wood studio this past summer along with several treehouses), to clay arts, to fine arts such as watercolors and printmaking.
Whenever I go to craft shows or galleries I am generally looking for new ideas and possibilities for me to try something new. Couple this with the love for learning and you will find me all the time discovering new creative ventures.
This past year I gave up teaching to pursue making art full time. I realized that I have a passion for education and for making art. I had seven years as a teacher and felt strongly that I had tested those possibilities, so I thought it might be a good time to pursue my other passion.
I believe my teaching experience should be valuable for this job as well. Many of the class projects were mini DIY projects which I led eight and nine year olds though on a regular basis. If I can guide twenty-five, eight year olds through the process of building their own book (stitching signatures and all), then I feel pretty confident that I can relay, to adults, most anything that we could conceive of.
I have followed your blog for the past several years and believe I understand the aesthetic as well as the mindset of the people who follow you. I would love he opportunity to help those individuals create from the cornucopia of possibilities.
As I was finishing typing that last line I thought how interesting it might be to have readers submit requests for DIY assistance. I would absolutely be up for/ excited about that kind of challenge.
Did I mention that I am a great big ball of fun? I have a wonderful sense of humor and enjoy sharing it with the world. If I am granted an interview, you'll have to ask me about the fake report card that I made for some fourth graders a few years back. High-larious.
Thank you for your consideration.

DIY Possibilities

Below are several projects that I have conceived of and created myself, all of which, I believe could be do-it-yourself projects for your space. After each I will offer a brief description of the idea. Here is a link to a possible blog post for the same ilk.

Here is a votive origami piece. This would require a how-to origami video (they really can be done), vellum paper and some small LED lights.

Origami crane. Special paper, wire and fishing weights.

Sea glass collection glued to mat and the framed in a shadowbox.

DIY tilt shift. DIY tech. This would take the DIY'er through the Ipad app that allows you to alter your photos for beautiful tilt shift pieces. It would also include tips on how to select a photograph that would be good for a tilt shifted perspective.

Treehouse. This is a treehouse I built with some friends for their daughters last year. I include this image to demonstrate that larger DIY projects are something to consider.

Ingoor tulip garden.

My girlfriend asked for a bath tub desk for christmas. Here is my final product.

Though it would be highly involved, last year I built a guitar from scratch.

Portfolio of Relevant Works

Below is a smattering of works which I believe demonstrate the works which are relevant towards considering me for your DIY guy. All of these represent and exploration and self-study which are so important for the one who wishes to do-it-themselves.

Photography