I'm Back

A lot has happened since my last post. Despite my silence here I've actually been more productive than I have been in a long time, possibly ever. Last summer I took several workshops at the Morgan Conservatory and I just completed another last month. They taught me lots of new skills and transformed my work, which is the reason I keep going back there year after year for these workshops. I don't know where I'd be without these workshops and without the Morgan.

Encaustic Lines (portfolio piece)

I also had work in two different shows. The first show was the Morgan's annual open house and silent auction. I have to say, it was the event of the year. Not only did I get to see my work in a gallery for the first time in too many years, but there was great food, music, and people. I also participated in Cleveland State University's annual People's Art Show. Since the show wasn't juried, there were hundreds of entries and everyone who applied got in. The art was displayed literally from floor to ceiling, covering every inch of bare wall. It was interesting to see the variety of work and there was a great turnout at the opening. I expect to do both of these shows next time around.

In other news, my husband and I bought a house and moved in January. I've never properly settled in anywhere we've lived before because I never saw the point in getting too comfortable when we would inevitably move again. I always joked that I was probably the only artist around who had bare walls. But now that we have our own place I have settled quickly and completely, the urge to nest has taken me over. There's plenty of art on the walls, there's a place for everything, and I feel so safe and comfortable there. As soon as we looked at the place I knew we had to buy it. It just felt right. Not only did it seem like a miracle to get out of our previous living situation, having a place of our own has been really good for my creativity. Now that I've got a permanent, comfortable place for my studio, I feel there's no stopping me.

Home Sweet Home

 In addition to buying my first home, which is a milestone in its own right, I also applied to graduate school. Although I already have my Master's degree in Library and Information Science, I always said that some day I wanted to go back and get my Master's of Fine Arts. Dissatisfaction with my job and a perpetual lack of other opportunities made me decide that there was no time like the present. So, in the midst of packing and moving from our apartment, I was able to somehow get my act together and submit a portfolio and application to Kent State. And luckily, they liked what I had to show them. I was accepted into their Textiles program for this coming Fall, which is equal parts exciting and terrifying. It's going to be a struggle financially and I'm going to be insanely busy with both school and work, and it's going to take forever, since I can only afford to go part time (more student loan debt is NOT an option) but I know it's going to be worth it. It's become so clear to me that the right thing to do is follow my passion.

Abaca Fiber Horn (portfolio piece)

If there's anything the last six months or so have taught me is that things can change so quickly. A year ago I was miserable. I hated my job, I couldn't stand my living situation, and I was clinically depressed. But now I have a home of my own, I have graduate school to look forward to, and I'm happier now than I've ever been. I still hate my job but with school starting in just under two months, my focus has shifted and I've become more mindful of all the positive things in my life. I think this is the start of many good things.