Brave Girl Work...

Good Morning Blog Friends!

I am hoping today finds you very well.

Although I have been quiet here in blog land, I have been showing up daily in my studio.

I finally have myself a bit of a studio space...well, more like a studio wall/gallery/shared space.  I have finally put on my brave girl pants and have put my work out there!  Although the learning curve has been quite steep, I am quite proud of my little space.

I literally have just been enjoying the process of playing in paint.

...that kind of takes the pressure off...right?  So, if you ever find yourself downtown Wake Forest, NC...stop by Ollie's on Main Street and check out my work.

This past weekend was the annual Art of the Carolina's sponsored by Jerrysartarama.  It was a blast as always.  I demoed a variety of things...but had the most fun reconnecting with my art friends that I only see once a year at the show.

....and I met Lorraine Bell!!!! 

Joe and I goofing off as he paints with Matisse paints...he is amazing!

Have you ever seen a more beautiful sight??

Thanks for being here...

Until next time,

Wandering...and Lost.

Good Morning blog friends.  When I sat to write this post, I was reminded of a stamp I have from Tim Holtz...Not All Who Wander Are Lost.  Lately, I have been feeling opposite.

My mom passed away on May 19th...and I have just been lost.  When I returned home from her service, I honestly thought I would find all of the comfort I needed in my studio....nope...dry!  For days, I would show up...and nothing.

I tried...and hated everything.

So....I started gutting my studio...

I cleared things out for weeks on end.  

When my mom was in the hospital last, I was just in awe at how amazing her nurses were.  I spent two weeks there with my mom before she passed away, and I thought that they deserved something very special for how they genuinely cared for and about my mom...

I have not made a quilt in 11 years...yes...11, when my daughter was born.  So, I switched my studio around to make space again for this guy...

...and 1st nurse quilt is almost done...I have a few more nurse quilts and 2 for her oncologists.  They were all just amazing!

I still need to put the borders on it, but...I'm quite happy with my first attempt!!

I still have space for my painting and journaling...

Seee...nothing!!!  I will keep at it though.

Until next time,

Sights from the Studio...

Good Morning Blogfriends.

Hope you guys have had a great day so far.  Around here, we have been gifted with a snow day...my plan, make the day count in the studio.

It seems all I have been doing lately is prep work...I taught a class of 36 last week at the Art Museum in Raleigh...i think I prepped and packed for one solid week!  The class was amazing, and, this was the only photo I took...I had the best intentions...

This past Thursday, I taught a workshop for the lovelies over at Jerry's in Raleigh...

It was a ton of fun just watching them create!

They did all sorts of cool things...

My favorite part...

Totally covered in paint!!!

As you may imagine...my studio is trashed beyond recognition... With this gift of a free day from work, I shall begin the massive clean up and begin prepping for several workshops I have coming...

As for my own painting...well, thats been very limited...

I have been goofing around on this canvas...

...and watching it do what it wants to do...

Until next time,

Abstract Boot Camp

Hello blog friends and happy Monday.  I post today...on the road...on my phone.  I headed out this morning, to my parents for a week, but spent an incredible weekend being 100% distracted with paint.

I attended a workshop this weekend at Jerrys, and what an amzing time it was.  The only things that I knew I wanted from the weekend workshop was to be completely distracted from daily life, and to use up some paint....and thats exactly what happened!

I just played around...wanting to use some of the paint that sits on my shelf.

It dawned on my that it has been quite some time since I have actually painted something...not like a demo or teaching a class, but painted for me...for the pure pleasure of painting.

I pulled out my biggest brushes, inks, and anything else that I could get my hands on...and simply lost myself.

And it was GREAT!

Until next time,