I'm apparently not that good at remembering to blog on a regular basis. So I've decided instead of giving myself regret about not remembering I'll give my self permission to blog as the mood fits;
I have my studio back after a busy weekend with students in a workshop, with Visiting Artist, Katherine England. It's so nice to have a clean, quiet, organized space. I started an abstract while the workshop was happening and I'm calling it "Oregon Winter". It's a pretty gloomy mosaic, with slate, marble and flagstone. As you might imagine it's very dark and foreboding.
Winter was tough on me this year. The grey skies did get to me and I found my mood being affected pretty regularly. I'm very happy to have the sun shining, blue skies, a slight cool breeze, and I'm even willing to suffer the allergies that come along with the sun.
Last Sept. I went to Udine, Italy and took a two week workshop with Giulio Menossi. It was fantastic for me, in so many ways, not just the creation of a beautiful mosaic under his watchful eye but being able to visit with good friends I'd made during my time of promoting classes for Giulio a few year ago. I haven't set this mosaic in it's final place yet (it's still on mesh) but I'm heading in the direction of setting it in mortar and having a simple frame.
I've been doing lots of thinking about aging these days, all the complexities that come with changes both body and circumstances. I had a book one time with the title "Aging isn't for Sissy's". What I know now is whether you're a sissy or not you're going to age and it's a smoother transition if you have good friends who support and love you no matter how you go through this time of life.
Not any major travel plans this year, a time at the beach coming up and a trip in Dec. Other than that it's a stay at home time for now.