Following my solo exhibit at dk Gallery, it closed yesterday, I am preparing to begin a new series. Boards are ordered, medium made in bulk, and new hues are swirling in my head along with new images. In a sense the images here are interim images. I find that no matter what goes on I have a need to paint all the time. Yes I do stop and draw and read, two activities that spin me forward. My reading is usually in the form of poetry that I read aloud to myself. Someone said recently that poems should be read aloud and I realized

that I always find that satisfying. Mary Oliver is my poet of choice so often since her “landscapes” are always alive in my mind. Kay Ryan and James Joyce are on the list and constant companions. The music in the studio now is from Zoe Keating, the recording of “Into the Trees” is lush, complex and compelling.

Saturday and Sunday, February 25 and 26 are the dates for the next encaustic workshop. There is so much interest in using photographs with encaustic that I plan to give a full explanation of the use of photographs in my own work but also plan to introduce monotypes and other techniques. I find that introducing several techniques is possible since I limit the number of participants. Plenty of time for individual attention.