recently a woman told me i needed to learn a new skill. she said i already had an artistic aesthetic and that all i needed was to tap into that. i found her assessment of my ideas and needs to be very refreshing and encouraging. she was spot on. learn a new skill. duh.

the thing is, this learning new things and skills i feel is a percolating theme.

i just decided i am going to have it be my theme for 2017.  

Last years theme was "path"

with all the shift in direction especially in finding and feeling that i have a home

path was a good word for last year.

I thought i'd start learning new skills early.

one of the joys of this past year included showing some art.

however showing art has a few challenges.

for me, the expense of putting art up is something i've discussed here before.

i decided to learn how to wire these 5 pieces myself.

i am not adept at tools.

i also have lame tools.

my hands are not strong.

but i watched a gal do it at a local frame store.

and in a few videos.

I thought,

if they can do it. 

so can i 

right???

and so armed with wire that was the wrong gauge, and hardware that was too big for the frame, I turned my oak kitchen table into a workspace and I did it!!

the project was not without a few challenges though.

like putting the hole in the wrong place

so that when i screwed in the hardware it almost came out the other side.

ugh

or not being able to get screws in straight.

or flat. 

but in the end and after some patience.

all 5 pieces looked pretty darn wired!!

and I saved money!!

The opening for the juried Winter Exhibit at Jansen Art Center begins December 8th, 2016 - the show will hang until the end of February.

These are the pieces I submitted

One of the things I have just loved about my affiliation with The Bureau Of Historical Investigation this past year has been the unveiling of their window displays!!

The shop part of The Bureau is closing at the end of the month.

( huge sad face inserted here ) 

Check out the sweet borrowed vintage reindeer collection from Erin Boyd Of Red Spade Designs ( local maker of those viral "nasty bitch" t-shirts )

Goodbye treasured time gone by. 

It was such a pleasure to vend here.

AND gosh, 

Happy Holidays!!

Thank you owners Sara Holodnick and Marissa McGrath for all that they are for the community and especially local artisans. 

There are moments in our life when we know we've defined something.  It might be something good. Or it might be something bad. What ever the moment is. There is a clarity that just makes sense of it all. I recently had that type of moment about my relationship with my sister.

This months collage circle theme was forgiveness. Forgiving is not that easy to do. Seems that in today's day there is a lot to forgive.  Sometimes the need to forgive is closer to home

I have sometimes felt like forgiving was a forced march.  I akin it to what I call an automatic sorry. The thing you say when someone expects you to, the problem is everyone can tell when your apology or your forgiveness is nothing but lip service.

What I learned recently about forgiveness is that it is a bit like that old phrase ...when one door closes,  a window opens, or however that saying exactly goes. The point is, people and events come into our lives. Equally, they also leave our lives. The act of forgiveness allows for good karma. 

The theme of this first collage was about the love and gratitude I felt for my sister. I made it when I first arrived in Washington. She missed the sentiment of the collage when I showed it to her. Her comment was dismissive. "Whatever" she said. I am not going to explain the entire demise of our relationship.  Being dismissive though was a part of it.  She and I have parted ways.  

The second collage I created when I let go of the blame I was feeling towards someone. We were divided too, but i had found forgiveness for the circumstance. While not specifically created for my sister and I's parting - It seemed like the appropriate creative pairing and sentiment about her and I.

I appreciate the visual full circle of it.