It has been a busy Spring. I'm on a committee to help organize the NRV Arts Market at the Montgomery Museum. The event was held at the museum this year. There were a few bumps, but overall the event was a success. We've learned a few things for next year. I've been busy creating new art for A New Leaf Gallery and for the market. I found a couple of cool oak roots in my woods and created a couple of pieces of art with them. I wish I was a better photographer. That skill is on my list to learn. Happy Spring!

In addition to moving my paint studio to the porch for the summer, I have been doing lots of yard work. I’m definitely missing my dear husband who did a lot of the heavy lifting. Some of the work has been tearing out non-native species and trying to replace them with native plants. I’m fighting a losing battle when it comes to English ivy. My garden rake art made me smile when it looked like the sweet peas were creating a stylish hat in the garden.

I recently attended a multi-day workshop with Vera Dickerson. It was so good! In addition to learning some new techniques using transparent paints, she reminded me of some whimsical techniques I haven't played with in a while. I pulled out my stencils and papers and created colorful patterns to incorporate in a couple of playful works. Also, I've been busily painting small pieces that will fit on my grid at the Art Space in Blacksburg. Front and center though, I'm preparing for our Art Show in Blacksburg on May 20-21. It's been a long time since I've done a live show and I'm getting nervous. This will be the first time I've had to do a show without my dear Dave to help me in every way--muscle for set up and take down, building frames, being my encourager.

Gray days and icy mornings reflect my mood. The quiet seems to amplify the loneliness that smothers me. And then, when I least expect it, God sends a beam of sunlight and the sounds of birds. Sitting outside one freezing morning, swept up in my sadness I looked up to see the winter birds flitting around in my bushes. How could they be so happy, singing and hopping about when the earth was dark and frozen? These merry glimpses of life helped propel me to face another day and take another step.

How do you keep going during a period of intense sadness? My initial response is to pull the covers over my head and wish the world away. My dear husband Dave fought a three-year battle with pancreatic cancer. I watched him go from an energetic, intelligent, and positive motivator to a shell of a man during his last months. The helplessness and inevitability smothered me. Prayer and friends sustained me. Thoughts of picking up a brush or playing with my rocks seem impossible, yet I know those are necessary steps to continue living beyond the loneliness. This is my start, one rock at a time. The ice series, a work in progress.

I'm an active member of the Blacksburg Regional Art Association and the Arts Council for the Montgomery Museum. I have an exhibit hanging at the First Bank and Trust in Christiansburg. Other places to see my art are the Floyd Center for the Arts and the Artful Lawyer in Blacksburg.