Serpentine Studio Art
An Artist’s Reflections
Big Mama
The sculpture Big Mama is inspired by Pachamama, the South American indigenous deity and earth mother. Big Mama is connected to earth by rootlike hair falling down her back. She is a stable, sturdy, mature woman and her lap is big enough for an adult to sit in. ...
The making of Appleachia
In mid-January 2021, my hiking-friend Annette, asked me to make a sculpture out of a branch she had saved. It came from a beloved, fallen Apple tree, on her property. I hesitated, unfamiliar with Apple-wood, and out of practice in wood-carving. Curious and always...
My Studio
I have worked in many studios over the years; our kitchen, a neighbor's garden-shed, my mom’s wood-shed, our Airbnb apartment, the City’s local Art center, my friend’s foundry and currently in a greenhouse attached to our home. The greenhouse is a narrow, rectangular...
The River
I live in a brick house built in the mid 1800’s in Virginia. It is a lovely property situated on the Rivanna River. In the winter the first thing I see when I get up is the waterway winding its way downstream. The view is different every day. This morning the water...
Winter Solstice
The light has returned in a quiet midwinter way. A week ago, December 21, the winter Solstice came and went without fanfare. The sun quietly crossed the celestial equator and entered the Northern Hemisphere, bringing longer days. The Solstice is worth celebrating....
Wegmans
I decided to go grocery shopping this morning. I completed my shopping list and drove to Wegmans, my new favorite shopping experience. I entered, worried about getting lost, my friends had issued warnings like:”overwhelmed” and “loosing track”. Entering Wegmans is...
Slowing down and opening the Heart
This morning I joined my Buddhist group for an hour of Anapanasaiti meditation. I followed my breath, aware of the air that filled my lungs and abdomen. I slowed down, and breathed in ease and awareness, aware of what was at that moment. It is a good way to start the...