Winding Down...Winding UP!

I can't believe that the year is almost over! Where did it go??? It seems like this one in particular went by at an unbelievable speed. Perhaps it was the constantly (over?)booked schedule...but that's pretty much the norm in my world. It was a great year for the most part, though it had some sharp spots in it. Normally I would call them 'rough spots' but these were downright sharp. Nevertheless, good things come out of every situation if you are willing to look for them, and having found the good, I press onward to embrace what the new year will bring.

For starters I have to get going on my fiberglass sculpture commissions. One, a 5' tall Hokie bird (ala VA Tech), which will arrive at my house this Saturday - weather permitting. The other, a cat for the Forsyth Humane Society's Art Unleashed fundraiser, due to arrive sometime in January. Both will be artfully painted. Stay tuned for postings as I get them underway. Deadline for both pieces is April. I have done several commissions like this in the past...the trick this time is that, being winter, I will need to fit them into my studio instead of the garage. That means the first thing on the agenda is to clean up and make room! :)

In January I am teaching my first class at Sawtooth School for Visual Art (Winston-Salem, NC)on surface design...Saturdays 1/16 & 23...covering rust dyeing, stamp making and stamping, discharge dyeing, and gelatin plate printing. Click here if you want to join in on the fun!

In March I will be teaching an original Easter table runner pattern at Sew Original (also in Winston-Salem)...more info on that will be posted closer to time.

I also have booked 2 small solo shows, which I am excited about. They are both local and later in the year, giving me time to create new pieces for them. I am a bit undecided on what other shows I will submit for this year. PAQA South has ARTQUILTS:illuminations coming up and I have a couple of pieces started that I want to submit for that one. My guild has a show this spring that I will put some piece into...it's always a great show. Beyond those two I still have to decide. I have committed to a street festival in Virginia in the spring, and there will be venues to arrange for the Beecassos, next year's Deck the Halls, more classes to teach, new galleries to explore, and .....oh yeah, my day job!

The new year is full of possibilities...I guess I'd better get busy!

Happy New Year everyone...make it the best ever!

Getting Close to Christmas!

December has flown by so far...lots of baking and visiting, concerts and reunions, decorating and preparing...in the fun, busy heart of the season it's easy to forget to slow down and just reflect.

Finding a moment, I looked back at this...and I still love it!

Snow is in the forecast - it just might be a white Christmas after all!

:)

Hokies, Kitties, and Floor Plans, Oh My!

Within the span of about a week I have been commissioned to paint a 5' tall fiberglass Hokie Bird for someone in Virginia, I found out that I've been selected to paint a fiberglass cat for the Forsyth Humane Society's Art Unleashed 2010 (my third time with them!) and I just got a call for a 1,400 sqft space planning job. I'll find out at the end of this week how I did at Sawtooth's Deck the Halls holiday sale and I am scheduled to teach a surface design class there in January (16th and 23rd... covering rust dyeing, stamp making and stamping, discharge dyeing, and gelatin plate printing...FUN!). Some of my things had sold out when I was there on Friday and I took another load in on Saturday, so I'm looking forward to finding out how it all did.

All very welcomed good news!