I have traveled, studied, and worked in many countries across the globe that have had an immense effect on my work. These experiences have shaped both my technique and my artistic approach. From 1970 to 1972, I spent a summer learning Swedish in order to study weaving in Sweden for a year. It was from this experience that I realized how much I could gain by allowing both subtle and obvious differences in culture to influence my artistic approach. My experience working for AVSI, an Italian NGO, teaching beading in Uganda from 2010-2019, allowed me to come to a deep understanding of Ugandan artistry. Similarly, my work in Myanmar in 2014 was to teach beading techniques and design to adults. I had the challenge of creating designs that the participants could relate to and that would give them a springboard for creating their own designs. Naturally, that had an impact on my own work, especially the colours that the African fabrics combine. Their use of colour is so different from the Western world’s and the unusual combinations and the bold choices made me rethink my approach to colour. The cultural differences were obvious and the exchanges between the participants and myself was always a very rewarding learning experience.