Life Lately: November

It's November! Leaves are in full-color glory everywhere I go (except in my own front yard—everything is still green!) We've had cold and rain these last few days, and it makes me happy to wear my favorite sweaters, light candles at night again, and bring the houseplants back inside.

Sad news for me recently: my 18 year-old kitty, Copper (Miss Kid to those in the know) was at the end stages of kidney failure and also may have had a stroke. Our vet came to the house and Copper passed while snoozing in my lap, just as the Wednesday tornado test sirens went off... she left this world with great fanfare! I can't even say how much I miss her and it's difficult to write about it at the moment. (sniffle)

I finished off October with a monotype workshop at the Phoenix Rising Printmaking Coop downtown. I thought I’d try recreating one of my favorite Wolf Kahn paintings. Basically we used watercolors and water soluble crayons and colored pencils to paint on an acrylic plate, then transfer it to paper by running it through a press. It was a fun class and wound up giving me ideas for some future projects. I am still figuring out how I want to print my color work, so experiments are enlightening!

October also brought a trip to Florida to see my brother and the gang of nutty folks I call friends on the Space Coast.

Kinda looks like the Last Supper, doesn’t it?

Also while visiting, I caught my brother’s cat, Pi, taking selfies with my phone…

I sewed up two dresses last month from the same Fancy Tiger Sailor Top pattern, one in a linen floral, the other in a fun orange and grey checkered flannel. I LOVE how they turned out! I think I’m going to add patch pockets to the flannel one.

I read a book (now re-reading!) that’s actually changing my life. James Clear’s Atomic Habits. (He lives in Columbus, people!) The theory isn’t new—baby steps are the best way to make big long-term changes—but his presentation really gets down to the heart of WHY that is, and, HOW to make those tiny changes simpler and more doable. It’s a mindset shift really. His website’s a great place to start: jamesclear.com

Why, right off the bat I was inspired to rearrange my studio! And as of October 22 I haven’t left a single messy pile on any of my work surfaces! (thank you, James!)

Choir rehearsals are going well! We even landed a little gig singing at the Ohio Theater on December 21 for one of Ballet Met's Nutcracker performances! The season is already feeling festive and I hope you can make it to one of our performances if you're in town. Click HERE for details.

Last but not least… Register now for either or both of my bookbinding classes! Taught through Columbus College of Art and Design's adult education program, classes take place on the CCAD campus on Saturday mornings beginning January 19th. 

Introduction to Bookbinding will cover basic structures and binding styles, including the wrapped-board cover, a no-glue-required hardcover binding.
REGISTER HERE.

Projects in Bookbinding gives students the opportunity to work on a project of their choice for the 5-week session, be it a book of writing, visual imagery, or a combination thereof. Intro to Bookbinding is recommended but not required.
REGISTER HERE

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Save the DateS!

December 5-9 — The Magpie Consort's winter concert program, All is Calm. Details HERE
January-March 2019 — Velvet Winter exhibition at The Meadowlark restaurant in Dayton, Ohio.
January 17-March 23 — teaching Introduction to Bookbinding and Projects in Bookbinding at CCAD's Saturday morning program. Details above.
June-September 2019 — Flying Adventures exhibition at the Springfield Museum of Art in Springfield, Ohio. Reception date to be announced.

Hello, October!

I love October in Columbus.  No more air conditioning or mosquitoes!  (Although as I type this it’s gotten crazy-hot again! But regardless…) The sun seems to shift its position in the sky overnight, sending bright late-afternoon rays right into my studio again, and I can open all the windows and doors to the breeze. Sweaters and scarves make their way out of the closet but it's still perfect picnic weather. Ahhh...

Last month brought a spur-of-the-moment trip to Venice for John's and my anniversary (I do believe it has become my favorite city! — and yes, photographs forthcoming :-) and I started two new website commissions I'm very excited about: one for a furniture maker, the other for The Sewing Hive, a new sewing school opening in Columbus. Rehearsals also began for the Magpie Consort's December concert series (they're the chamber choir I sing with.) While I am NOT ready for Christmas shopping displays and 24/7 holiday radio, I love working on the pieces we'll be singing for the concert because I always wind up in a festive mood after rehearsal. We even landed a guest appearance at one of Ballet Met's Nutcracker performances at the Ohio Theater—it doesn't get any more Christmas-y than that :-)

But anyway, back to autumn. I hope you are enjoying the change of season!
Cheers for now.

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Portrait Sessions

This is one of my favorite photographs from my shoot with Abby a couple weeks ago... something about the light and the red, white, and blue (and those Hunter boots!)

I still have some availability for portrait sessions this month, so whether it's a quick mini-session for your holiday card, or something longer to add to your wall of family portraits, let me know if you'd like to set something up.

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Save the Date!

December 5-9 — The Magpie Consort's winter concert program, All is Calm. Details HERE
January-March 2019 — Velvet Winter exhibition at The Meadowlark restaurant in Dayton, Ohio.
January 17-March 23 — teaching Introduction to Bookbinding and Projects in Bookbinding at CCAD's Saturday morning program. Details to come.
June-September 2019 — Flying Adventures exhibition at the Springfield Museum of Art in Springfield, Ohio. Reception date to be announced.

A Cabin in the Woods

John recently reconnected with a friend of his from high school (how fun!) and we spent a few days visiting Richard and his family at their summer cabin on Pocono Lake in Pennsylvania. Being here evoked a nostalgia for summer camps that I never went to but heard friends’ stories about, an entire summer spent in a singular world. It reminded me of my favorite movie, Moonrise Kingdom, complete with auditions for the summer play. A tiny library, a nature center, weekly activities posted to everyone’s mailbox. Friday night dances in the dining hall. War canoe races and a blue team/red team rivalry that spans generations. Ingredients for magic summers.

From my journal: “It’s been a beautiful visit. Three days of rain and sun and walks and making photographs, and reading on the giant porch, and working on my poem book layout on the chaise lounge with the candy-striped cushion. Ferns and ferns and ferns and pine trees and maples. Richard’s homemade bread and fabulous pesto and lively dinner table conversations. The butterfly Alex found is still alive but not for long, which makes me sad. But a nestful of baby juncos flew off into their forest world just yesterday and we were lucky enough to see it.”