She loves them!

Thank you 2010. Hello 2011!

Here are some fun pictures of my last opening called JOY! at Kai Lin Art.
Some of my exhibited pieces and of us drinking and hugging. It really was a Joyful way to cap off a year of movement and to enter into the next of even more. Happy New Year everyone!

Work and Love

My nephew's an artist!

Nathanael Volckening out in Colorado has really begun to blossom. He regularly updates an online gallery on deviantart and I check in on his progress from time to time. Check out his work. Here are some of my favorites.


And yes - genes have something to do with talent, but you can't get here without a lot of hard work and love. He clearly demonstrates that.


Oh! He's a dancer, too.
Check these two out.

Blues Dance
Slow Movement Dance

Xmas Card 2010

All year long I've known that I wanted my new xmas card for 2010 to feature mistletoe and the message that the receiver is loved. I had planned for "You are Loved" to be a ribbon of calligraphic letters intertwined within the leaves and forming a bow at the top.


While sketching, I realized I'd wanted a more simple message with less letterforms.

So I did some thinking.

I've an early memory of looking up at the mistletoe in our foyer, yearning for a special someone to come kiss me. I had no idea who that person would be. And the aching for it left me sad and needy.


Wanting to be loved is a beautiful thing. But you can't want something you can't create for yourself or already are in the first place. We look to other things and people to fill that gap. But the truth is that we already are the love we are looking for. And to see it, all you have to do is know that and echo that knowledge by giving it right back to yourself. Then this cool thing called giving what you have to others is possible. Because you can't love unless you have it to give first.

So the message changed from "You are Loved" to "Be Loved." But the word "Loved" sounded a little too needy. So it's shortened as you see it here to "Be Love."


I'm at the top of that mistletoe now - giving loving cue.

This is the first xmas I've committed to only doing what I want, not what is expected of me.

Merry Christmas!

Anton 2010

Bravo to my robust, confident and endearing boy Anton. Ever powerful, expressive, very 4.
And Bravo to all who share his life.

Buttoned Fingerless Mitts

Well, I cheated a little on these. Okay I cheated a lot. The buttons have been collecting dust for quite a while and using them to cover up a badly sewn seam seemed like a good idea. They have absolutely no function other than to clear out my sculpey stash.

These will be for my niece Mia for xmas this year. I can't wait to see them on her pretty little hands.

Thanks for the pattern, Cassandra!

Name Tags for Joy!

Tomorrow night is the opening of Joy! at the Kai Lin Art Gallery in Midtown. I've a few pieces (books and paintings) in the show and just made some inky nametags for all the artists and staff. Excited! Thank you Yu-Kai!

Make Your Own Calligraphic Holiday Card in Next Week's Calligraphy 3 class at Binders!

Hi Friends,

I'm starting a new round of courses at Binders next week that meet twice before xmas, then resume after the 2 weeks of xmas/new year holiday.
These are regular 6-week classes that break in between.

The advantage of taking a smaller class is more time with your instructor and while you're on break, you'll be able to apply some of the skills you've already learned and put your time off to good use!

Calligraphy 3 (advanced) needs at least 2 more students to make. If you'd like help creating a calligraphic holiday greeting card or addressing those envelopes to writing thank you notes, THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT! In Calligraphy 3 - we really break out the color inks and paper and experiment.

These are the last of my classes at the $140.00 rate. They'll all go up in February to $190.00!


Bookmaking 1: Beginning Bookmaking (EVE) Tuesdays, 6 sessions|Dec. 7-Jan. 25|No class Dec 21, 28| 6-8:30pm|Beginning-Intermediate|$140|Min 3/Max 7



Bookmaking 2: The Opened Book (DAY) Tuesdays, 6 sessions|Dec. 7-Jan. 25|No class Dec 21, 28| 1:30-4pm|Intermediate-Advanced|$140|Min 3/Max 7





Calligraphy 3: Advanced (EVE) Wednesdays, 6 sessions|Dec. 8-Jan 26|No class Dec 22,29| 6-8:30pm|Intermediate-Advanced|$140|Min 3/Max 7