shine on, new year; rock on, mr. president

Although the new year is well underway, the shine hasn’t dulled yet. It is full of possibilities, promise, & plans, especially with our new president at the helm who will be turning the ship around & charting a more rational course. Watching the inauguration was inspiring, amazing, & emotional. Obama is going to do great things. I sense an innate goodness, fairness, & extreme intelligence emanating from him whenever I see him. That feeling is also present with Michelle Obama… she is going to turn “First Ladyship” upside down. They will bring us into the 21st century, even if some people have to be dragged kicking & screaming.













On January 20, 2009, the world became a bit more beautiful.


I always like to stop and reflect back on the year that has just passed. It’s a time to remember the events that have brought me to where I am right now at this moment in time, poised & ready to start another journey around the sun…

It is so astounding to realize that a whole year has passed since our little Roux died. During that time, a new dog era has begun with Mo & Roger, shaking up our world a bit with the changes their two personalities have brought into our lives. Dennis & I cannot imagine our home without the studio, which will mark its 2nd year this May; I spend most of my day in here, soaking up good energy, weaving, writing, exploring. I taught my first tapestry workshop, giving new weavers a start & making wonderful new friends as well. I was able to get to know Janie & DY better during the many times we were able to spend together. The place where I learned to weave tapestry, Desert Weaving Workshop, where I also met DY & many other wonderful people & took several wonderful workshops, closed its doors. I continued my journey in tapestry & my work was included in several local exhibits. Dennis experienced his first participation in an exhibit. I wrote several articles for ATA’s Tapestry Topics & continued my volunteer role editing the online digest. I became a National Park Service volunteer, thanks to Barbara S., a member or our local guild who created the opportunity for those who were interested to become involved in a textile storage project at the Western Archeological Conservation Center here in Tucson (check out the slide show at the end of this post). I feel my weaving has improved & that it is starting to take direction. And, I must confess, I started cheating on my looms with another thing with strings… I’ve started to learn to play the cello, recently buying my very own.

The new year is already ramped up & charged with activities…

I’m presently coordinating the theme for this year’s first issue of ATA’s Tapestry Topics, which has involved defining the theme, choosing & inviting artists to write, reviewing the articles, & submitting them all to Linda Rees, the editor. The theme title is Sustaining Creativity, the articles are fabulous, & that’s all I’m going to divulge. If you’re a member you’ll see it when it hits your mailbox, & if you aren’t, why in the world not? I’m headed to Bisbee at the end of this month to give Shirley & Lynn a tapestry workshop. I have three submissions in place for three upcoming exhibits (ATA's Connections; The 9th International Triennial of Mini Textiles in France; The Foundry Art Center's Of The Earth). I wove the 9cm x 12cm after the monsoon for the Triennial. My parents’ 50th wedding anniversary is in February & I’ve organized a family reunion to celebrate it with my 5 younger siblings & their families. Janie Hoffman & I have planned another tapestry retreat for early May at her place on the Blue River— there will be 9 of us this year, including Pam Hutley who is coming all the way from Australia to join us!!! Janie & I have also sent in our registration for the Intermountain Weavers Conference which will be held in July in Durango, CO. We’re planning to take Kathe Todd-Hooker’s workshop, Color & Tapestry; I haven’t taken a tapestry workshop since early last year, so I am very excited!

I have a new tapestry, canyon night, in progress on my Shannock loom now & I’m planning to submit it for IWC’s Fiber Celebrated; it would be wonderful to have it accepted & see it there in person. Inspired by Tommye Scanlin, I will soon be submitting an application for an Artist in Residence position, but I don’t want to reveal where just yet. The Mountain Spinners & Weavers Guild of Prescott, AZ has asked me to give a presentation on tapestry weaving, which will be in November. My cello teacher, a member of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, tells me if I continue doing as well as I have been that she will invite me to join the adult ensemble she directs this summer, although I’m not as convinced as she that others will want to listen to what is coming from my cello. Whew, can I have a bigger plate, please?

Here’s a little more about my current tapestry, canyon night. My cartoon is a photo I took at dusk during one of our trips to our NM mountain property. Instead of trying to trace the intricate & not so clear branches of the fir & cedar trees onto vellum as I usually do, I decided to invert the colors in the photo & tile print it onto cardstock. Reminds me of an x-ray image. So I must weave what appears dark as light & light as dark, using the actual photo as a guide for the sky’s color gradations. Not hard if I don’t think about it too much! I will post with more photos as it progresses.

Lastly, here is a slide show of images from my volunteer activities at the Western Archeological Conservation Center. Click on any photo as it appears to see a description. For a brief explanation of what we are actually doing, visit the WACC photo set in my Flickr photo album.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.