Welcome!  

My name is Randi Sparks, aka Pyrogenic Arts, and I am an Artist/Educator living in beautiful Northwest Arkansas with my wonderful fiancé, our two cats, and our sweet dog. I've been thinking about starting a blog for a long time to share resources with other Artists looking for tutorials/patterns and Educators out there who want to know more about Project Based Learning (PBL) and fostering independence in their students. You can find me on all forms of social media @pyrogenicarts!

I'm a full time Ceramics & Sculpture teacher at a PBL focused High School, which allows me to foster more creativity and independence in my learners; our kids really get to dive deep into life skills and the real world applications of what they learn in class along with the content. I also teach Art I online for our virtual academy and serve as the Head of our Electives department and mentor some of our new teachers to help them learn the ins and outs of PBL. 

Outside of school, I mentor Fine Arts Educators for a program called Arkansas Teacher Corps and am taking on the role of Membership Chair for the Arkansas Art Educators Association. I love sharing resources and knowledge with other teachers! I recently completed my Ed.S in Digital Age Teaching & Learning from the University of Central Arkansas, and also hold an MA in Art Education from Boston University, a BFA in Studio Arts (Ceramics) from the University of Arkansas, an AA in Drama from Tyler Junior College, and a current Cosmetology license.

As an artist, Ceramics and Fiber Art are my specialties but I generally love learning anything and everything creative. I've been exploring Glassblowing/Lampworking recently and I'm excited to have some time to practice more this year! Crochet, Sewing, and Weaving are my favorite Fiber Art forms, while Slip-Casting and sculpting onto/altering Wheel-Thrown objects are my favorite Ceramic techniques. 

All of my work is handmade primarily from clay, cloth, and fiber, and features imagery inspired by nature, anatomy, and horror/sci-fi/fantasy pop culture. I enjoy blurring the line between sculpture and function by crafting highly detailed, dynamic forms in my jewelry, pottery, and fiber art. Each colorful piece I create is unique in the hopes that everyone who views my work will find something to love.

Some facts about me:

• I love animals! I am a Pescatarian (I spent several years fully Vegetarian but recently started adding some fish and seafood back into my diet)
• I love being active in nature! I jog, rollerskate, and bike on our beautiful NWA trails often, and played/officiated Roller Derby for five years (my "derby name" Pyro the Dragon is partially what inspired my business name!). I am also a 200-hr certified Yoga Teacher and I enjoy hiking in the woods and floating on/swimming in our gorgeous lakes, rivers, and creeks.
• I love singing and playing music! I'm hoping to spend more time writing music, singing with friends, playing flute, and getting better at guitar/ukulele this year.
• I love learning! I am a seeker of knowledge and treate learning new skills/concepts like solving a puzzle... I don't mind struggling through trial and error so I can help others have an easier time figuring it out. 
• I love Horror/Sci-Fi/Fantasy! If it's related to those genres, I will watch/read/listen to it all day long. 

Thanks for following along! Stay tuned for more posts about patterns, tutorials, and teaching resources!

<3 Pyro