Portland Open Studios is coming October 11, 12, 18 and 19th. I will have my studio open to visitors both weekends this year, as will many other artists. Last year I was surprised by the number of people who came through. It was a lot of fun to visit and share my art with all the people. I started cleaning the studio last weekend. I love my studio. I love going down there and focusing on making art. It's so much fun. I wish everyone would have so much fun. Stop reading this and go make some art!

Mother's Day is tomorrow. My mother died, I think it was 16 years ago. She was married to my father for over 50 years, a housewife, mother of four and an artist - an egg artist. Are you familiar with Faberge eggs? She made her own version of that; bejeweled hollow goose eggs with precise little doors that opened up on life-like minature floral arrangements. I always thought they were a lovely and different sort of art. Something I didn't have the patience to do. And now I spend hours and hours laying hundreds of little broken pieces of glass to " paint" mosaic pictures of things I see between my eyes and the physical world, making mosaics that are also a lovely and different sort of art. And now, my daughter tells people she doesn't have the patience to make mosaics as she spends hours altering her photos and her other artwork to construct layer after layer of collaged images... Happy Mother's Day all you wonderful mothers.

Instead of going to the beach over spring break and freezing, I froze here in town - fortunately I also used my time to get ready for a couple of art shows and work on mosaics. Through the end of May, I will have some mosaics on display at the Kingstad Gallery out in Beaverton and at the Pure Life Clinic in Portland. Now I am at work on making 33 "scrappy cats" and 26 12 x 12's- these are like palate cleansers in between big pieces of which I just finished three. When they find a place to be shown I will post it...

Sum of All Parts: Contemporary Mosaic Art in North America

I will have one piece in this show which will be held at:
Walters Cultural Arts Center
527 E. Main Street
Hillsboro, OR 97213

The opening reception will be held on Tuesday, December 4th, from 6 - 8 pm. At the reception attendees will have the opportunity to vote for the People's Choice Award until 7:30. The show will run through January 8th.

Over 200 people came through my studio during Portland Open Studios! Since this was my first time as a participant, I didn't really know what to expect, but it was quite fun to visit with everyone and to talk about my work. My next show will be in December - an all mosaics show to be held in Hillsboro, Oregon. Details coming soon...

I guess I have to say that this is the official end of my summer. (So sad.) Back to school. (Excitement and anxiety.) How perfect that my show at the Talisman opens this week - Thursday, August 30th. This show shows my connection to the natural and transpersonal worlds and the power that exists at that connection. It's also a show about my faith that when I shatter a piece of glass with my hammer that I will be given exactly the pieces I need to make the piece I'm intending to make. It's pretty cool the way it works. Pattie Palmer-Baker will also be showing her beautiful mixed media alphabet pieces (M -Z!).

September 6 marks the opening of the Open Studios group show at the United Way Gallery downtown, and September 10th is opening night of the group show at the Artists Repertory Theater. I'll have piece in each of those shows, along with the great art from other Open Studios artists.

Opening Last Thursday, July 26th at the Talisman Gallery:
Our annual group show, featuring the work of all our wonderful artists. I will show two new pieces - "Blessings" and a small altar made from found objects and glass.

Opening Last Thursday, August 30th, at the Talisman Gallery:
I will be showing my newest mosaics, including wall pieces and altars. I've been exploring the idea of "faith in my creative process" and these pieces are demonstrations of that. Pattie Palmer-Baker will also be showing her beautiful mixed-media alphabet pages.

October 13th and 14th:
Open Studios - come by and watch me work. My studio floor has just been replaced in anticipation of visitors coming to see me at work in my studio. More details at www.portlandopenstudios.com