Great Artists

Tomorrow night is the Davey Elementary Art and Science Expo. I have been spending all of my spare time at the school preparing and displaying art. So far, my favorite works are the 4th grade weaving pieces.
So many of these kids are natural artists - great with color, form and imagination. They will be proud to see their art hanging.
Don't you remember your first showing? How about your first blue ribbon?

This has to be the most fun I've had in ages!

Art Heals

2.5 years ago, Ian was diagnosed with a rare form of the bleeding disorder, Von Willebrand Disease. We spent hours upon hours sitting and waiting in Hemoc Unit at Children's Hospital. Waiting for Factor, blood to cease flowing from my babies body, waiting, worrying, being very afraid. All while loving and protecting my broken baby and teaching my preschooler not to be afraid and that life is wonderful. I was an angry woman, every trip to that place was like a death march on my soul.
Anger, fear and parenting do not go well together, so I really needed to get myself together.
I did this with my camera and with fabric, floss and beads.
I needed a portable project to keep in our "hospital bag". A small Glad container with lovely floss, fabric and beads fit in perfectly and a small embroidery hoop takes almost no space. I started my black on black project pretty early on. I'm still not finished, and my not be for a while. I do have bitter sweet thoughts woven into this project. Fear, exhaustion, pride, all sewn into one little black squirrel. It may be a while before I complete him, but I pull him out now and then and add a few stitches. It was good to have my hands occupied and something entirely different to think about.
It was my camera that really started the healing. Being behind a camera is like an outer body experience. You can hide right out in the open and see the would around you in a new light. I started photographing everything from hospital days to shopping at my local co-op.
Thankfully, these days are much easier and Ian's own Factor has bumped up a bit, so there are far fewer hospital days. We all breath much easier here and life is as normal as any other household with kids and too many pets. I still carry my camera everywhere I go.

It's All About the Schedule

I'm trying to get more accomplished. I Honestly am trying. But my children truly believe that eating, diaper changes and clean clothes are a higher priority than mama playing with news paper. Too bad they don't like the feel of the glue on their hands. How is that I am raising such tidy kids?!

I need to reschedule things in my life to make art a higher priority. Do you have any tips?

Well, here is the latest little sculpture waiting for flight. Later today I am going to try to fit in my book. Please wish me luck, I haven't bound a book in several years.