Facebook Resolutions

Facebook had been full of memories, politics, reconnection to old friends, and simple statements that make you smile, laugh, cry, and think.  This year I have had three or four experiences on Facebook that have given me pause, and made me question whether the damage to friendship, feelings, and respect are worth my continuation of it.  However, in looking at the big picture, I have received so much more love and support than I ever expected. 

Seeing John’s spirit kept alive by all of his friends alone is enough to ease any thoughts I might have of shutting the pages down.  I love that several of his friends have allowed me to continue to be their Facebook friends and I can peek into their lives and see their thoughts as they grow and become wonderful adults.  It gives me a great perspective and world view instead of just a “boomer” perspective.  Some of them are wonderfully articulate. 

I am so happy that through Facebook, Dan and I have reconnected with old High School friends.  Although we are spread across the globe, we as military brats, have a common thread that is still strong. 

I am also able to stay connected to family that also is far flung.  It is the little experiences that really keep us close.  I love hearing about someone’s day.  I am admittedly not a very good phone person.  I always feel like I am interrupting and I forget what I want to say.  When asked “What we have been doing?”  I can’t think of a thing.  But through Facebook, I see a bit of what they have been doing and they see the same with me and it gives us both a good jumping off point. 

I have enjoyed, for the most part, the political issue driven conversations.  However, there have been altercations; words do matter, how you say things matters.  2012 has been a volatile year filled with politics and tragedy.  Through that I am making some rules for myself.  I don’t know if I have broken all of them in the past but they are good rules none the less.

            Don’t tell someone what they can or can not post on their own Facebook page.

            If you don’t agree with someone’s post don’t attack them personally.

            If you don’t agree with someone’s statement respect their opinion as you would wish yours to be respected.

            If you can’t do any one of the above, don’t respond at all or certainly not publicly.  This might be a place where mother’s old rule….”If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all” applies. 

            Don’t hijack someone else’s post with your own agenda or change the subject substantially.  If you need to make a statement, then make your own, on your own wall. 

            This is not really an issue for me, but don’t post compromising pictures of other people or tag them…their mom may see it!

            This is an open forum, you don’t know all my friends or how I know them.  Don’t assume that I share all the beliefs of all my friends. That would be boring.  I will speak to you as I would in a dinner party or public situation.

Please respect my friends and I will respect yours.

Reread the rant before you post it!

Get a thicker skin.

Finally, it may be that you will unfriend me due to difficulties.  It also may be that I will block or unfriend you, sometimes that is done to protect a friendship rather than end one. 

Pinterest

I am not sure I really get Pinterest.  I mean I understand it is sort of like a bulletin board where you collect things you like.  As an artist, I guess I could collect images that inspire me.  As a person who loves to cook, I could collect recipes.
I did sign up. However, amid the thousands of passwords I am supposed to remember, make them all unique, and change them all the time, I don't remember my password.  Nor do I really know where to go to find all these inspiring things. Actually the best place is Pinterest.  So that is funny to me, I could go look at all the things other people have put on their bulletin boards and then repin them to mine.  I don't know, it just seems easier to look at everyone else's boards.
Some people are doing a magnificent job of collecting terrific images.  A couple of my images have even been collected.  I think that is flattering.  But here is one of the problems, I am on the computer too much anyway!  In order to find cool things to pin, I would have to be trolling the internet to find them.
I guess I am drawing a line in the sand here and saying , for me, enough is enough and I am just going to be a voyeur and look at what you have been wasting time collecting...sorry.

Not just glass....a bucket list

Disclaimer: this blog is no longer just about glass. Why is that you ask? Well, my art is personal, it is about me, it reflects what I think, see, and feel, therefore my blog will reflect that. When I thought I would write about just glass I realized I WASN'T WRITING ANYTHING! However, I was thinking about a lot of things that I didn't then have a place to write them...hence the disclaimer.

The Bucket List
 Now that that is off my chest I will write about what I was thinking about. A friend posted a comment about her bucket list. She added living in Paris to her bucket list and knowing her it would not surprise me to see her do that. So I questioned myself about my bucket list and I realized that I do not have one. Not only do I not have a bucket list of things to do or places to see before I die, I have no real desire to have one. I think I am the feather of "Forest Gump", floating to what will be will be. I just don't want the stress of making a huge goal and not accomplishing it. I am not a stress lover, nor a perfectionist. I do not want to create any obstacle for myself. I am just happy to get up in the morning and like the floating feather decide what, where, and how to amuse myself for that day.  I know that sounds indulgent and it is.  It doesn't mean that I wouldn't like to go to Italy or do something exotic or that I won't do those things, it just means that I don't want to deal with the disappointment if I don't.
I know that some would look at this as cowardly, or that I am not taking charge of my life but I don't think so.  I have known great happiness and great and painful sorrow and disappointment.  I realized that it is the small moments in life that mean the most to me, the everyday, the little touches, smiles, laughs, and moments that sometimes pass unnoticed.  I am trying to notice them.  That is what my work is about as well.

So there, I brought it all back to the glass after all!

It was the Right Decision!

Oh, to go, to go, or not to go that was the question. “Go where?” you ask. In 2009 like a lightning bolt from the sky, I received an email from Steve Klein, to ask whether or not I was interested in joining several other glass artists at Pilchuck for a week residency. In that case, there was no question. After gathering myself off the floor, I jumped up and down and said “Yes, Yes, I will go!

Six and a half hours through the air, I arrived in Seattle and began my trek to Pilchuck Glass School. It was a wonderful experience. Now, in 2011, I haven’t seen any of these people in almost 2 years!

But, what happened there and what happened at the next session of 2010, (I wasn’t able to go to because it was the exact same weekend as Michael and Dianne’s wedding,) became the subject for a show at the Museum of Northwest Art in La Conner, WA. Actually, it didn’t just happen; Steve Klein and Richard Parrish worked hard to make it happen. I don’t know all the details, hand wringing, sleepless nights, or arm twisting that went into the whole thing. All I know is that Steve and Richard strongly encouraged me to submit some work for the show and miraculously a show came together. Actually, I do know that Steve, Richard, Kathleen Moles of MoNA, and Lani McGregor of Bullseye, were all working very hard on making all of our dreams come true. I also know that there were many other little elves involved.

So the question was, “Do I go? Do I take the time and expense to travel to the other side of the continent for an opening? I haven’t seen these people in almost 2 years, some I have never met. Even then I had only been with them for a week.” I decided to go. For some reason, I had a feeling that it was important. I had a feeling that I would be so glad that I did go. I don’t know, I thought that these were my people. They spoke a similar language. So off I flew, and then drove an hour and forty-five minutes to the cutest little town of LaConner, Washington.

I couldn’t have imagined the affection that I felt as I hugged each of my past residency partners and even a few who I only knew through Facebook from the 2010 group. As each day and event passed it only reinforced that my decision was right. I had made the right decision. The group was nurturing, encouraging, and most of all great fun to be around. It was just wonderful to see everyone and everyone felt the same way! All I can really say at this point is “THANK YOU”.

I AM READY FOR THE NEXT TIME!

It’s funny how long it takes ideas and directions to coalesce into action.  I feel like I am still working on the bits and pieces of information, inspiration, technique, and enthusiasm that surrounded me in 2009.  At the time I was like hard packed earth unable to absorb all the life giving rain but as it sat there on the surface it began to percolate down to nourish that tiny flame.  It just needed to wait until I was ready to receive it.  Not only have I gained from the actual time at Pilchuck but I have also gained in the community of artists that it created. This group continues to be a source of information and encouragement and I look forward to future collaborations. 

This is an experimental piece "Maps".  I am working with the concept of the wafers.  I love how thin and fragile they are and misty and foggy, like memories.

In 2009 I was invited to participate in Pilchuck's first Professional Artists in Residency (PAIR) week led by Steve Klein and Richard Parrish both excellent artists working with fused glass. The experience was so enjoyable and successful that they decided to do it again in 2010. Sadly I couldn't go but the reason was wonderful, our son got married. Anyway, there had been talk of a show coming together illustrating the work that came out of these two workshops. I really felt that since I wasn't able to participate in the 2nd week, I wouldn't be able to join them. I was so wrong. Both Richard and Steve encouraged me to get my act together and submit work for the show. I did and they accepted 3 pieces. I couldn't be happier!


I wasn't sure I was going to go to the opening. One complication was that I am also participating in a 3 person show at the Kittrell/Riffkind gallery opening the very same day, March 12, 2011! Also, I could drive to Kittrell/Riffkind, they are in Dallas, but La Conner, Washington, is a bit far. But I ultimately decided to go.

Act 2: The next Track, will be at the Museum of Northwest Art in La Conner Washington. Bullseye Glass has been main sponsor of the entire thing, their generosity has been amazing. This is a video that shows many slides of the work coming out of the show. http://www.bullseyeglass.com/weblog/ . Also you can learn more about the work in the show at the website of MONA, http://www.museumofnwart.org/index.php?page=upcoming-exhibitions&exhibID=40
 
This is one of the pieces that was accepted into the show.  It is called  "On the right track"  It includes a small wafter of glass that has been one of the inspirations of the workshops.  Even now I am continuing to work in the direction of the wafers. 

From Now on

From now on, this blog will be only about glass, my work, the work of others, and my inspirations etc.