October 24th
Jesus stickers for my pen pals
it’s the morning. my cats have a burst of energy and are chasing each other around the room. the older one is starting to pause and hide while the little one does all the work of the chase. i’m sipping my coffee with an unending to do list going off in my head, but i’m choosing to sit down and commit to an update.
for a week out of this month, I felt like my brain was underwater. I had covid for the first time (that I know of) and it took a mental toll on me. Physical symptoms aside, I’m incredibly privileged to not be suffering from any form of long covid AND that I had some built up sick time for work. What surprised me was just how anxious and depressed I felt while being sick, despite people around me really taking care of me from good ole social distance hangs on the porch to coffee deliveries with a little wave. The above picture was day 4 (I think? but my memory feels so fuzzy of the time) and I was not doing well from not leaving my house. Brought some colored pencils, a book, tissues for my sniffly nose, and stayed out of everyone’s way.
I was Bethel University’s (Makenzie, TN) visiting artist this semester and had my show up for about a month in the gallery. I got to visit for a whole day with art majors, attend their classes and answer questions. To conclude the night, I gave a short talk about my work and where I’m at and then answered questions from anyone.
All leading up to it, I heavily questioned if I was really qualified to speak and how unsure I feel sometimes of what I’m doing. I wasn’t sure what I had worth sharing. I tried to reframe it as: sharing about myself / my art / my process is not the same as saying I have it figured out. If everyone waited to speak until they did, well, it’d be pretty quiet all around.
I enjoy meeting people in all different places in their journeys and value transparency within that. What makes me different from anyone else? If I can find value in what others say, I am in that group, too. All of us figuring it out.
A few very short days after the talk, I set up a show at the NED in Jackson, TN. It was my second show with Wendy Kim and this time got to include Cameron Kemp. While I had been sick with Covid, a dear friend bought batting for me to finish a quilt, and I also finished this quilt painting.
Unfortunately I was so sick for the reception and couldn’t make it. I have felt really supported through the month it has been up, though, and was really glad to show with Wendy and Cam.
Jacob and I have been working on some stained glass projects where each of us gets to be in charge of design and then the other will bring it to completion. I am working on a three - panel set that will be installed in a wooden box that we bought from an antique store. Hopefully I’ll be finishing it in the next week or so! We will be setting up in our first pop up in December so keep an eye out for that announcement and get some stained glass goodies for a Christmas / holiday gift.
This quilt is the one my friend Ricardo graciously went out and found batting for me, even though he had no idea what it was or where to look. Shout to to you, man, and now you know where to find batting!
The middle piece is on a wooden panel, and I used oils to paint with. The color palette of oil paints I have brings me such a rich joy. They are so special.
The large painting has been stretched for a couple years and I decided to paint these concentric circles I received a “vision” of. I use the term loosely because I don’t know quite how to explain these piercing images I get that sort of burn in my mind slowly until I release them. Not every painting is born that way; very few are born that way. So when it happens I always surrender.
This is another oil painting on wooden panel I completed last week. Finished it in one sitting … some of those paintings end up being my favorites. Captured all within a couple hours.
October muses
seeing Comet A3. Part of its beauty was that it was unexpected. I had planned on drawing with a couple friends in a newly founded state park, when we remembered a comet may be visible. A couple passed us with a telescope. A couple hours later, she arrived!
my pen pals. I currently have three consistent pen pals and the occasional extra correspondence. one has been sending me teas with recommendations. I added orange peel to my latest (thanks Kareem!)
THESE JESUS STICKERS??? I need more but have no idea where to find them from. I thrifted these.
seeing my friends support one another through the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. one of my closer friends in the area is hosting a Tea Tent where she is opening up a painted tent on her land to serve free coffee / tea inviting others to share stories / grieve / laugh / make art. in the midst of not knowing a lot, we still have each other. read about Primrose’s tent here
Pumpkin patch days! I’ve been twice this month after never having gone as an adult (somehow?!?!?) Thankful for friends and chosen family to create these memories with.
and as usual, the kids I see every Sunday.
Talk to you next month <3