In November 2016 I was excited to take a master class with Lori Talcott at Pratt Fine Arts Centre in Seattle.  The class was called “Intelligent Making”, in Lori’s class description she stated the “workshop aims to develop the skills artists need to align and articulate the many aspects of their studio practice”. We were fortunate to have Maria Phillips join us as a guest instructor as Lori and Maria made for an exceptional teaching team.  As stated in Lori’s class outline we “investigated research strategies to assist in identifying our interests and locate our work both in a cultural and historical context.   Various modes of writing were employed to generate, develop and articulate ideas with a goal to bypass art speak and cliches and concentrate on the aspects that make the work personal and idiosyncratic”.   In the workshop, Lori facilitated discussions of the assigned readings, directed exercises, and conducted both group and one on one discussions about our work.  Lori’s questions and directions provided me with new ways of approaching and thinking about my work.   As a result of this challenging but immensely supportive and enriching workshop, I am consuming different essays and writings and looking at different work in order to understand the context of my own work.   I am giving more consideration to the language, and images I use and asking myself why I am taking the approach I am.  My goal is a coherent body of unique work reflecting my interests.  Thank you, Lori Talcott, Maria Phillips, and Pratt for this excellent class and thanks to Amelia Milner for these photographs.