January 2019

January 24, 2019

I have been making handmade books for over 10 years. I tend to stick books I am familiar with making so that I can work on my craftsmanship while creating enough product to sell at various stores, galleries and shows. While teaching a class on bookmaking at the local university here in Blacksburg, VA, a friend of mine handed me a book on how to make books. As we combed through the book together, I realized that there were so many books that I had yet to discover! I decided to challenge myself to work from one end of the ‘How To’ to the other. This month, I created the 5 Hole Pamphlet (with inside folder), 5 Hole Pamphlet Do-Si-Do and the Basic Codex.

5 Hole Pamphlet : Inside View with Folder

{ My Word of the Year 2019 : TENACITY }

January 12, 2019

I am privileged enough to meet monthly with an AMAZING group of Creative Professional women in my adopted hometown of Blacksburg, VA. We have been meeting for years and have fallen into a comfortable rhythm of reflecting on our previous year each December and goal setting each January. Several years ago, we started choosing our ‘Word of the Year’ in January. My original word was ‘Courage’ but that did not feel quite right…

I know I have courage. I left an incredibly toxic relationship at the beginning of 2018. A relationship that needed to end much earlier than it did. A relationship that left with me with low self confidence and little self worth. Being alone scared me endlessly but it was the best decision I’ve ever made for my daughter and me. I took myself to and from China by myself to work with children in July 2018. This was a trip that changed my emotional, spiritual and financially life forever. I regularly create art and put it on public display. That takes courage. And then, five days before Christmas, the Children’s Museum where I have spent the past 1.5 years of my life as Program Coordinator for children age 0-5 years, announced it would be closing it doors for an unforeseeable time as it transitioned to a new location…and if we wanted to work there again, we would have to reapply for any available positions. Looking ahead to an unknown future as a single mother and a full-time working artist in a rural town in southwestern Virginia takes courage.

The word courage didn't fit this new chapter of my life.

The more I reflected on what I wanted 2019 to be, I wanted courage…on steroids. That is when I found the word ‘TENACITY.’

Courage plus spirit, grit and spunk; a fierce determination.

So bring it 2019. I’m ready.

What is your Word of the Year? How did you come to choose it?

{ New Works : Personal Graffiti } Vol 2 //

November 17, 2018

I am continuing to experiment with personal graffiti, free form calligraphy and COLOR with my newest handmade book collection. And there are so many more to come!

I LOVE this one with the lime green and magenta color combo. I do not typically for for green but I think that may need to change…

‘Let It Go’ 3.5 x 4.5” (Front Cover View)

‘Let It Go’ : 3.5 x 4.5” : Endcover View

Dreamy blues and purples will always be my fall back color combo. Can you blame me?

‘Moving On’ : 6.25 x 4” : Front Cover View

‘Moving On’ : 6.25 x 4” : Back Cover View

Thank you for checking our my newest work! My work is currently only available locally through the galleries that carry my work but that will change after the holidays when I fully update my Etsy shop! Happy Holidays!

{ INK INSPIRATIONS : PART ONE } : Sketchbooks // Oct-Nov

November 5, 2018

And the ink experiments carry on! I am working in so many different books at the moment and have no plans to stop any time soon. I am becoming more comfortable experimenting with color and bringing in experimental calligraphy with cola pens. My next step is to go in and add details with gel pens…a step I cannot wait to begin!

{ Watercolor Meditations : Part One } : Circles // Inktober Challenge

October 19, 2018

I decided to jump in on the Inktober Challenge after I watched Traci Bautista’s online videos for her upcoming new Masterclass. I was SO inspired by the Bautista works with ink, I knew I had give it a try.

Most of my work these days is in ink…both India ink and spray ink. I had never really explored wet on wet media and I truly loved the dreamy effects it gives my papers.

Due to amount of work created during the first half of this monthly challenge, I decided to break my pieces down by type. I started off with circles that were created by using the droppers directly out of the India ink bottles on wet paper and Jane Davenport watercolor pens for detail.

I work in many books at one time (anywhere from 4-6, which include Moleskine watercolor books, spiral bound journals and loose mixed media paper to create my own Idea or Challenge Books).

Working on these loose pages and in my journals truly has been a meditative experience. I left my studio feeling relaxed, productive and clear headed which makes me a better mother, friend and employee. I am currently wrapping up TWO journals (that I will put in a video) on Instagram and will keep plugging away on Inktober.