2025 plans

Events:
-"Surface and Structure" opens at the Canton Cultural Center tonight from 6-8PM (See below).
-Open studio for February First Friday- Feb 7; 5-8pm

Welcome back, it's 2025 and this is the time when I use my snow days to slow down and plan what I want to accomplish with my art practice this year. Having a full time job as a middle school art teacher means that every moment creating my art feels borrowed, so I have to make the most of the time that is given for free.

One of my main goals at the beginning of this year is to step back and take stock of what has happened. 2024 does not win for "most woven yards" but definitely wins for the most art created. I created 12 new pieces for my duo show, 2 new 'waffle' pieces, 4 new design commission works, and at least 10 small paper weavings. Not to mention all the small samples and doodles in between those. Last week I put all my work that I could on the walls of my studio and just looked at it. I have no idea where all these pieces will go in the future (hopefully to someone who appreciates them) but I know that I can't keep all of them forever. I have even contemplated un-weaving and re-weaving some of the things that I have kept for the past 10 years.

Right before school started I also was able to take a little trip to Pittsburgh to see my piece "Run 5k Challenge" that was exhibited as part of the AAP 110 show. This textile was created as a response to me trying to run for 3 miles during quarantine times on the trail behind my neighborhood. I never really go that far, always stopping short. I am now swimming 2x per week and my body (and knees!) seem to like that a lot better. I try to make a point to go to the Mattress Factory museum at least 1 time a year to visit these permanent installations. For some reason, standing in the dot room or basking in the red glow of the illusion of a cube does something restorative to my spirit.

Finally, I am so happy that my piece "Over and Over" was picked to be displayed at the Canton Cultural Center in downtown Canton. Backstory on this piece: I was trying to make something eye catching and unique for the KSU Alumni show, but it was not accepted. After taking a sneak peek at that show, there were so many good examples of textiles in the gallery that I am happy to even have advanced to the second round. That same week, Alaska Thompson from Patina gallery reached out for pieces to curate show that focused on pattern and texture, and this was the perfect piece for that call. This piece, woven with silk and acrylic rods, will be on display as part of "Surface & Structure" in front of the Cable Recital Hall until March. If you are in the neighborhood, I hope you will take a look.

In the meantime, I am taking the first part of 2025 to rest, incubate, and focus on my teaching at the middle school and at KSU in Art Education. Hopefully we have at least 1 more snow day so that I can make some more future plans.