Be your own lifeboat.

I began this blog nearly two years ago, in a place of transition and unknowns, just before graduating from my master's program in Colorado and moving 2000 miles back to the Southeast. For the past 18 months since the move, I've struggled to maintain my artistic and professional identity while volunteering, networking, and holding peripheral part-time jobs. But this New Year has brought me the gift of a new full-time position, and for the next few months I'll be enjoying a different kind of transition as I learn to effectively serve at-risk youth and their families as an intensive in-home counselor.

The drawing shown above, titled "Self-Portrait with Water Wings," is a reminder that I have everything I need to stay afloat. (Look for this image in Patti Digh's book What I Wish For You, due out this spring.) As I begin this new professional challenge, I'm making a commitment to an ongoing practice of artmaking for self-care and spiritual reconnection.

Here's hoping that the New Year fairy will leave something nice under your pillow, too. 

Happy colors and happy news.

Among many things that are bringing me happiness this week, here are three of them.

Thing 1:
My fiber art piece "Circle the Ring Again" (shown above) was included in Patti Digh's book Creative is a Verb as an illustration for Patti's essay of the same name. This book features a variety of artwork by Patti's readers, and I'm delighted to be included among them. The book is out in stores now, and Patti is on a book tour. I'm looking forward to meeting her, since she'll be stopping nearby in December.

Thing 2:
In totally related news, I submitted a drawing to be considered for publication in Patti's next book, What I Wish for You, due out in April 2011. This week I found out that my work was accepted! I may have done a little dance when I got that email...

Thing 3:
I live in a gorgeous part of Greensboro, NC, where the autumn leaves are currently at the height of their beauty. I missed this landscape so much when I was in grad school, and I'm still so happy to be back.