I am home from New Mexico truly changed - thoroughly inspired and more enthusiastic about art than I have felt in many years. I have learned so much that I had forgotten about art and about life. I regained an ability to relate to people that I lost from living in the bitter northeastern cities for so long. I remembered to pick up after myself (and even others), smile and say hello to strangers, climb a mountain just to see the sunset, get dragged into a conversation, drink another beer, and thoroughly enjoy the full moon. And I remembered to paint, and get excited about it, and paint just to paint - not caring about the outcome. The whole trip was magical and bright and full of music and stars. I have come home and even begun to paint my new home here in the Hudson Valley. Please take a few moments to see my new work.

I'm taking some time away from New York to escape, "Georgia O'Keeffe-style," to New Mexico. Me and my laptop and my many pounds of art supplies are on the plane as I type, somewhere over the southern states, winging our way to the great Southwest, a place I've never been. I've been told that I will fall in love with the landscape and will never want to leave. Let's hope that at the very least I will gain some intense inspiration. As soon as I complete anything artistic and worthy of public view, you will be the first to see it. Tonight I will be in Albuquerque, tomorrow Santa Fe, and on Friday, I will be in Abiquiui to see my artist heroine's home. Pictures soon!

We made the big move to New York at the beginning of this month. Before we left, I finished another print for my year-long series (see left). I've also been moving into some really incredible graphic art territory. See the possible future version of my website (as a jpg - excuse the image quality), all created using Photoshop, the code will be added in later. Thank you, Web Design Mag! My XML course makes me feel like an even bigger geek than I already know I am. The language from the book is all mathematical jargon, but the code itself is pretty easy to follow. Even that sentence is pretty geeky. Also, soon you will see two excellent websites to add to my portfolio. I'll keep you guessing about them until next time.

Last month I was able to finally purchase the new Adobe Creative Suite, and have been spending nearly all of my free time getting the hang of all of these amazing programs. In my Flash course that I'm taking, I've just nailed nested animations. See my latest movie! As for my box set, I created Two Turtle Doves just in time for Valentine's Day (pardon the pun, but I might as well kill two birds with one stone), and now I'm getting started on Partridge in a Pear Tree. In about 3 weeks I'll be starting my XML course. So busy!

Can you believe it's 2010? I am gearing up for the new year with a few exciting goals. The first is to finally attain my Certificate in Web Design. I am registered for two classes for the spring semester, and start my Flash class January 25! On the fine art end, I have made an ambitious goal to create a Twelve Days of Christmas box set of cards to sell at the end of this year. That means that I'll have to make at least one plate a month in order to get all 12 cards done for the winter holiday. I have already finished the drawing and transfering onto the lino of the image for Two Turtle Doves, which I will also be selling for Valentines Day. Pictures coming soon!

The holiday card factory's been in production all morning! I made 25 cards today using my new Akua Intaglio inks. I strung up this drying line across my studio for them and they look so festive! The printing process was such a different experience compared to when I was using the block printing inks. Every single card came off the lino predictably the same. Thrilled!