Deanne Bednar 

      PO Box 733, Oxford, MI 48371           

      (248) 628-1887 ecoartdb@gmail.com

     www.strawbalestudio.org

 

 

 

EDUCATION and WORK EXPERIENCE

 

• Masters Degree in Social Ecology from Goddard College, VT, 1981. Thesis; Wholly Connected:

   Drawing Relationships between the Person, Planet, and Empowerment. 

• 1981 – 1996. Designed and taught a Sustainable Futures Course including the EcoVillage Project - modeling sustainability concepts.

• 1968 – 1996.  Educator at the Orchard Lake Middle School, West Bloomfield School District. Main teaching subject: Art.  Also Humanities, Set Design, Typing, Remedial Reading. 

• 1996 - 2003 . Development & piloting components of a sustainability game based on the Ecological Footprint 

• 1968. Bachelors Degree from Albion College.  Major in Art, Minor in Music & Education.

 

Post "retirement" WORK EXPERIENCE & PROJECTS

 

• 2004 - 2009. Coordinator of the Strawbale Studio Natural Building & Sustainable Living Skills Program:  Hands-on training, presentations, exhibits and tours.  Projects: The Strawbale Studio, Rocket Stove Heated Bench,  The Oxford Kid's Cottage and the Spiral Chamber, Mandala Garden, Greenhouse.

• 2006 - 2007. Co-coordinator, trainer and co-builder of the Kensington Kids Cottage, a hybrid natural building located in the Kensington Metropark, Milford, MI at the Farm Center.  2008-9 Co-develop sustainability curriculum.

• 2003. Member of the Detroit Green Map (DGM) Development Team. Coordinated 2 grants   www.detroitgreenmap.org. 

• 2000-02. President of the Board of Directors, Upland Hills Ecological Awareness Center, Oxford, MI.

• 1999. Promotion of the Detroit Area Green Map Project and License Holder through the Green Map System.   

 

     Grants received from the State of Michigan Energy Department for Upland Hills Ecological Awareness Center.

 

•  2004, 2005 & 2006.Coordinator, Community Energy Grant for the Strawbale Studio, Green Building Category
• 2004 & 2005. Coordinator, Community Energy Grant for the Detroit Green Map, Green Building & Green Commuting Categories.
• 2002 - 2003. Coordinator of the Solar Seminars Grant from the State of Michigan for the Upland Hills Ecological Awareness Center, Oxford, MI.

• 1999 - 2003. Coordinated the Energy Tours Grant from the State of Michigan for the above.
• 1999. Grant Director, Designer and Illustrator for the Renewable Energy Demonstration & Education Displays at the Upland Hills Ecological Awareness Center in Oxford, MI        

• 1997 – 2005. Project Coordinator and Co-builder of the “Strawbale Studio” Natural Building Project. Photovoltaic panels/electronics for this building were donated by Detroit Edison. Showcased in The Beauty of Strawbale Homes, Chelsea Green, 2001, this thatched roof structure has been featured on Channel 50 TV News, numerous newspapers & journals.  Case Study by the State of MI, Energy Department:

             http://www.michigan.gov/documents/CIS_EO_Straw_Bale_Case_Study_101340_7.pdf

 

      Illustrator of

• The Natural Plaster Book, New Society Press, 2003.
• The Hand-Sculpted House, Chelsea Green Publisher, 2002.
• The Cobber's Companion, 1999. 

 

      Contributing Writer/illustrator to

• The Art of Natural Building,  2002.
• "Permaculture Activist" Magazine, 1999. 
• "The World Pledge" Illustrator (written by Lillian Genser) 1999. 

• numerous of articles on sustainability and natural building for magazines, books and journals.

• Co-coordinator of Natural Building Exhibit & Poster Presentation on “Game Playing & Sustainability” at The President's Council for       

          Sustainable Development Conference, Cobo Hall, Detroit, 1999.

• 2003 - 2009. Presenter on Natural Building , Sustainability and Green Mapping at conferences, workshops & schools, including the Natural Building Colloquium, East and the Great Lakes Renewable Energy Fair.

• MEENet (Michigan Energy Educators Network) member, assisting in the initiation of an On-line Sustainability Curriculum Handbook, correlated to state and national teaching standards.

• Recipent of the Peace Educator's Award from the Center for Peace and Conflict Studies, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, for coordinating the Children's Peace Art Exhibitions, International children's Art Exchanges, Children's Peace Quilt and teaching Conflict Resolution Skills and a Sustainability Courses at Orchard Lake Middle School in West Bloomfield Schools.