welcome 2004...

It's almost here and quite frankly, I'm more than ready to let go of 2003. It was a rough year with lots of personal tests along the way.

There are some new/renewed things I want to try in 2004 (part of my "exploring" for the new year):

pinhole camera photography (Quaker Oats, here I come!)

get back to my B/W 35mm photography; I started getting sort of good at it and got lazy...

oil pastels (mainly of animals--I'm obsessed with animal portraits)

get back to writing poetry (it's where I came from)

get back to playing my piano (I can't figure out what has happened there)

resume fiddle lessons (so much fun!)

maybe a little oil painting for fun (exercising different muscles)

triangular weaving (my mom built three looms for me!!!!)

I think one of the most wonderful things I have found out about blogging is that I have found so much inspiration in other artists and crafters. I mean, some of you guys are just INCREDIBLE! Painters,collage artists, writers, photographers, sculptors, silversmiths, fiber artists, you name it! There's even a group of you knitters whom I personally identify as "Scary Knitters"--you people frighten me you are so prolific and skilled. Don't you ever sleep?

All of you guys are such a source of inspiration. Thank you for sharing your work and your wonderful gifts. Sometimes I feel alone in my aspirations, but having this e-connection to other similar folks has really given me a feeling of relatedness I needed, however virtual it might be. It's so nice to go to a blog and feel like "hey, we should live closer!"

Here's to 2004...I hope it's a fantastic and exciting year for you all! EXPLORE!!

Creation is a better means of self-expression than possession;
it is through creating, not possessing, that life is revealed.
--Vida D. Scudder (social activist and educator)