The past year(ish) of my life has handed (or perhaps thrown at would be a more appropriate representation) me some serious challenges that has resulted in a few big life changes as well as emotional transformation. I find that while dealing with terrible things in life is not something I would choose for myself, I continue to be awed by the blessings that counteract and sometimes completely outweigh my original struggle. One thing that has always carried me through hard times has been the ability to create and the last year has been no exception. I have spent more time with my art than ever before and feel that it has helped my growth in many facets of my life.
October was a very full month, with another art show that I somehow timed to coincide with my busiest time at work. Oops. The show was titled Remnants, was hung at Downtown Wine & Gourmet, and featured 10 black and white photos of a dear friend, who also turned out to be an excellent model. The show opened at the beginning of October and is still up, so go check it out if you missed it!
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As I mentioned above, October is also my busiest month at work, due to our big annual fundraiser, the Disco Gala. Each year, I donate a piece of art for the auction to help raise valuable funds for the Collins Center. This year, I created a 3′ x 4′ acrylic painting on canvas, which went for $450 in the live auction.
I have also continued to do quite a bit of graphic design for Breathe. Here’s a little taste…
In very exciting news, along with my brother-in-law, David Brennan, and my friend, Matthew Carlson, I have received a grant from the Arts Council of the Valley to complete a collaborative art show that has been in the planning stages for several months already. I have no doubt that our success with the grant application is owed in large part to David, who is a fantastic writer and has more experience with grant writing. It is great to know that we will be compensated for some of our materials and time, which is frankly a novel idea to me…
Stay tuned for more information about the show, but know that it will be an incredibly interesting blend of mediums, including ceramics, collage and music.