Last month marked my eighth year at Artspace. At the end of this month, I will move out of a building that has come to mean so much to me personally and professionally.

In 2005, Fiber Artist Sharron Parker and Linda Ruth Dickinson welcomed me into Studio 217 with open arms. Madonna Phillips encouraged me to take my “funky” art on the road and apply for regional and nationally known juried shows.  Max Halpern gave me a crash course in art appreciation and history. Judy Crane encouraged me to develop my leadership skills, welcomed me to The Executive Board of Artspace, and exposed me to the business side of Artspace.

Catherine Thornton encouraged me to visualize outside the box. When I moved downstairs from Studio 217 to Studio 109A, Ann Harwell, Pat Scull, Susan Soper, Susan Parrish, and Marriott Little  transformed a building into a community and a workplace into a home away from home.

One of my fondest memories and truly one of my finest hours professionally was the collaborative Through The Looking Glass exhibition with Susan Parrish and Emily Cash Wilmoth.

And not a First Friday has gone by in over a year when somebody hasn’t talked to me about the Studio 109A Project Runway Challenge, a project which marked my transition from jewelry designer to Fiber Artist.

I truly could not have taken this journey without my family’s love and support. When I moved into Artspace, my son was six and my Daughter was two. My son is now entering high school and my daughter is ten. As I mentioned in my last blog post, my daughter was diagnosed with autism last February. The last few months have been challenging. The love, support, and friendship from my Artspace family and some new friends have made these last few months bearable.

In the art world, there are no labels and the artists within these walls, have been non-judgmental and accepting. The real world, unfortunately, is not so kind, especially to those who color outside the lines, march to the beat of their own drum, or are truly exceptional in their own right. A friend of mine says I have found my voice. I suppose that is true. Of course, I will always be an artist. But I am first and foremost a mom and now, an advocate.

So, with that, auf wiedersehen from Studio 109A. See you soon!