▁Arts ), ▁( F ul br ight ▁gran te e ) ▁and ▁participated ▁in ▁exhib itions ▁at ▁the ▁Herbert ▁F . ▁Johnson ▁Museum ▁of ▁Art . ▁ ▁She ▁found ▁a ▁place ▁in ▁a ▁w are house ▁in ▁So H o , ▁Manh attan ▁that ▁was ▁sp a cious ▁enough ▁to ▁accommod ate ▁both ▁a ▁studio ▁and ▁living ▁space . ▁She ▁then ▁met ▁sculpt or ▁James ▁W . ▁Buch man ▁ ▁and ▁started ▁teaching ▁as ▁a ▁Professor ▁in ▁the ▁art ▁department ▁at ▁S UN Y , ▁University ▁at ▁Alb any . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁she ▁spent ▁a ▁year ▁of ▁res iden cy ▁in ▁France , ▁Centre ▁culture l ▁de ▁la ▁Vil led ieu . ▁ ▁Her ▁early ▁research es ▁often ▁led ▁to ▁large ▁out do ors ▁architect onic ▁sculpt ures ▁made ▁of ▁steel , ▁sometimes ▁with ▁the ▁addition ▁of ▁gran ite , ▁c ement ▁or ▁wood . ▁She ▁then ▁went ▁through ▁a ▁period ▁of ▁small - scale ▁metal ▁sculpt ures , ▁already ▁incorpor ating ▁objects ▁of ▁daily ▁life ▁in ▁her ▁car ving ▁and ▁casting ▁processes , ▁par ado x ically ▁resulting ▁in ▁a ▁pre cious ▁like ▁object . ▁It ▁is ▁only ▁after ▁a ▁visit ▁to ▁Der uta , ▁Italy ▁that ▁she ▁started ▁expl oring ▁again , ▁in ▁a ▁unique ▁way , ▁combining ▁trivial ▁objects , ▁the ▁many ▁possibilities ▁of ▁s lip - cast ▁cer am ics , ▁a ▁medium ▁often ▁used ▁in ▁decor ative ▁arts ▁but ▁s eld om ▁attached ▁to ▁High ▁Art . ▁Art ▁critics ▁spoke ▁about ▁these