Photo Album

walnut vase i.jpg

My friend K carved this from a chunk of walnut and gave it to me when I got married. He gathered the dried plants from the river where we went swimming as teenagers, and five moves and 30 years later, they're still intact.

walnut vase iii.jpg

pebble ii.jpg

This bowl was carved by a Belgian artist. The shape of it and the grain are just perfect. The pebbles? They ground me. : )

grow.jpg

The official mug of Compost Studios, a gift from Granola Grrrl, someone I've known since she was a sprout.

G. Beaumont Pottery

Souvenirs of a visit to G. Beaumont Pottery in Phoenix, Maryland. When I was a teen, I spent a memorable summer living in New Hampshire and working at the Beaumont Pottery in Strawbery Banke Historic Village.

Dressing table in studio

The table is about 75 years old, refinished by Mr. V-Grrrl. On it are some of my favorite pieces of art.

Work table

This table was in the kitchen when I was growing up, then in my kitchen after my parents died, and now in my studio.

Studio closet

Stamp sets, ribbon, paint, brushes, yarn, cardstock, scrapbooks, embossing stuff, ephemera, and my favorite art books.

Made by my mother

Love this sentiment, loved the woman who stitched it and lived it.

Cozy spot in the studio

Good place to flip through books and find inspiration

RC Gorman sculpture

Mr V-Grrrl bought this for me in New Mexico. She is like a goddess to me, this earth woman, holding fruit in her hand like a gift.

RC Gorman print

Long ago I had a friend name Joan who looked past my face and glimpsed my soul. She gave me this for my birthday more than 20 years ago and it still stirs my spirit.

Favorite pieces

Vase carved by K, Modigliani ceramic purchased in Rome, RC Gorman print and sculpture, sampler by my mother.

Mushroom made from sea urchin

When I saw this "mushroom" in a gallery I frequent, I had to have it. Cleverly constructed by attaching a sea urchin to a shaped and weighted wooden base, I was struck by its simplicity and balance and, of course, its earthiness.

Wood block print

I love art that suggests the outdoors to me. The frame on this image, it's graphic simplicity, and the fact it was made using wood block printing really appealed to me.

Prints by Linda Woods

Linda Woods is a nationally known mixed media artist. Her books inspired me to dabble in art journaling. These three prints are titled: Always on My Mind, I'm Still Here, and Waiting. The colors, compositions, textures, and texts all resonate with me.

Night Stompin' with the Pattern Masters

This watercolor painting by Robert Thorpe is the first piece of original art I ever bought (other than pottery). Thorpe taught the one and only art history class I ever took, a class that opened up the larger world of art to me. This painting is both serious and whimsical. On the most basic level, it's an image that reminds me we can triumph over the pain, loss, and disappointments in our lives.

sock monkey_1.jpg

Mother's Day gift from my Girl. There is nothing quite like a sock monkey to make you smile.