Yes, Sheila!

"It's Not Too Late" (1st Prize in Mixed Media category)

Haven't posted in a while. What happened to the sort-of promise to post daily, I wonder. It was a promise foremost to myself. Because blogging helps me reflect things, and I need reflection, I need to think about things to identify my feelings about them, and writing helps me doing that. Yeah, I have been busy. Sure have been. But then, I'm busy all the time, it's no excuse really. So maybe I didn't want to reflect things for a while. I guess, I took a vacation from the deep-thinking because some things are sometimes just too difficult and heavy to think about these days.

Mona's piece "Gems and Jewels" won Best of Show

In the middle of all this business I received the sweetest postcard a few weeks ago. It came from my blogger artist friend, Sheila, reminding me to keep sharing my art. Thank you so much for doing that! Thank you for choosing the old-fashioned way of sending me a handwritten note, and thank you for your encouragement and kindness, Sheila! I appreciate it all very much.

So, here it goes! I haven't produced much this year. But still, this year has been a very successful one for me nevertheless: In February, I had three pieces in a local juried small works exhibit and sold them right away (see last post).

In March, I had a fabulous third round of my original fundraising art project "ART ON 45" for which I asked (local) artists to make a piece of art on or with a 45rpm record. This time it was to support a regional organization that helps victims of domestic violence. The auction event was beautiful and very successful. Many people came to enjoy and support the event, and these people were very diverse in every way.  I loved it. It makes me so happy that the project and the event have

"Ndebele House" box, 3rd prize for Mona

been so well-received.

And in April I participated in a Plein Air Competition. That is something I don't feel I am particularly good at but I love the challenge. I didn't win a prize but my piece was compatible, it felt good to see that mine actually didn't look out of place in company of all the stunning professional works on the wall. And I sold it too!

Jacob's "Before It Happened"  (2nd prize)

May was an especially busy month for me because I spent a lot of extra time at the Montessori School to help students getting their (Paul Klee inspired) projects finished before they would leave for the summer.

And now we are having June, the month of the annual "Peach Festival" here in town where you can do lots of peachy things. In this context, the local arts council holds a juried art show every year, where all people, no matter what age or skill level, can enter their works. Last year I won an Honorary Mention for my sculpture "Undo" in the 3-D category, and I was quite thrilled about it.

This year I submitted two pieces and won 1st prize for "It's Not Too Late" in the Mixed Media category. And my kids both won, too! Jacob (11) got 2rd prize for his relief piece "Before It Happened", and Mona (9) won 3rd prize for her "Ndebele House" box and Best of Show/Youth for her watercolor and ink drawing "Gems and Jewels." Isn't that something.