“I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes . . .
you’re Doing Something.”–Neil Gaiman

 My family and I spent just spent two nights in a house near the Dungeness Spit in Sequim, Washington on the Strait of Juan de Fuca. We had incredibly good weather for late December and enjoyed several long walks on the beach. It’s always good to get out of town and the unstructured time in a beautiful location gave me some time to look back over the past year and look ahead to the next.

2013 was a year filled with travel and shows. It was also a year filled with the challenge of moving my art studio. Reading through my blog of the last year I was surprised to be reminded of so many really great experiences when during most of the year I was consumed with anxiety about the move. Of course, it all worked out and now, at the beginning of 2014, I am poised to move forward in a really great space, both mentally and physically.

Some of the highlights of 2013 included:
• my solo show, Madrone, at Foster/White Gallery
• having my work at both Bellevue Arts Museum and in the opening exhibition of the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art
• installing Susurration in Bellevue as part of Shunpike’s Storefronts program
• being featured on the Daily Art Muse blog
• going to the SDA Conference in San Antonio
• writing two articles for the SDA Journal, both for 2014 issues
• developing new surface design techniques working with positive and negative imagery
• working with my terrific interns, Jesse and Annie
• designing and building my new kick-ass studio
• travel including big trips to Costa Rica, Paris, Hawaii, San Antonio, Burning Man
• smaller trips to Oregon Country Fair, Orcas Island, Tieton, Dungeness Spit
• witnessing my older daughter transition in her Senior year of high school into a beautiful, capable, college-bound woman

Right now 2014 is an open book with a few plans penciled in. I have a few group shows coming up with existing pieces. I have a proposal out for some new work that I’ll hear about in February. It looks like I’ll have a second intern for the Winter quarter. We’ll be traveling to the Southern tip of the Baja Peninsula in Mexico in February for some sunshine. Perhaps another trip for Spring Break in April and some college visits with my daughter.

Now that my studio is set up I’m excited to open it up as a teaching space. In the next few weeks I’ll be putting together a schedule of workshops. One of the benefits of having my own space is flexibility. Let me know if there’s something you’d like to study with me or want to set up independent or small group workshops. I’m planning on sending out a short survey to see what you would like to see offered.

And new work? Well, I’ve got a glimmer or two of that. I was inspired this last weekend by the trip to the Dungeness and the driftwood I found there. The shapes, the visual textures, and the rusted remnants of human touch left upon them spoke strongly to me as you can see here in images accompanying this post. I’m hoping to both expand my work in the picture plane and also get back to my free-standing sculptures.

Last year started with a laser sharp focus on making work for my solo show in March. This year, I’m easing in without much of a plan. It’s a little scary for me not to know, but I’m sitting with it. I have faith that doors will open, that the phone will ring, and the days will fill with adventures, community and creative pursuits.

In the coming year I wish you all creative challenges and hand-won satisfactions.