Ideas usually come to me at about 3:am when I should be sleeping. They come in a flash of clarity almost fully formed. That being said, in the morning, sometimes they are gone – evaporated and I am left struggling to remember them. Most times I do and some aren’t worth the trouble but --- those that do get dug into and then the real work begins.

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron.  I don’t normally read ‘How to’ books but The Artist’s Way inspired me, frightened me into knowing I needed to look deeper into my heart and soul to allow honesty to be my guide. It also allowed me to believe in myself.

Self doubt and fear haunts all artists. “Am I good enough? Can I really put myself out there?” My AHA is that, if we are driven to create, we have to be willing to expose all that we are afraid of or embarrassed about in order to find our true voice. I also know that facing down fear is freeing. It allows us to fly. What other people think should not be part of our journey…

I am naturally a very curious person. I’m a collector of people. I love their stories, their humor – especially if they have an appetite for life. I entertain a fair amount. My husband, who is amazing, is a great cook and even though he doesn’t relish gatherings in the way that I do is a perfect sidekick as we both like to create beautiful but casual settings so that no one ever has to feel left out.  I’m an avid reader, once again getting pleasure from looking through a window into what make’s people tick.  Making collages of family and friend photographs along with mixed media continues the ongoing theme of my anthropological desire to understand humans.

I may appear like an open book, as there is little I am not willing to share about myself but I am more comfortable airing my laundry and darkest thoughts in my writing than I am in friendship. I keep those pretty light. I am the investigator –rarely the confessor.