Anyone living in the U.S. today cannot help but wonder at the state of things in our country. Although I am a proud American, I find myself baffled by the current rhetoric, hate-filled sentiment, and plain hegemony of today's political climate. I intensely dislike political debate, however, and so I am choosing to focus on the lesson that I can learn from these events. When conducting my collaborative doctoral research on Adult Learning in the Context of Interreligious Dialog

As some of my readers are aware, I had a recent death in the family.  An aunt of mine, to whom I was quite close, passed away on Saturday night.  I am not normally inclined to reflect on death in my public statements but this death hit me somewhere so deep that I feel I need to process it.  Ironically, I am set to teach two sections of an undergraduate online class on coping with disease and death with Springfield College's School of Professional and Continuing Studies this u

I have to give a shout out to my good friend , John Guerra!  If you are ever looking for an airbrush artist with a HUGE heart, John is your man. This blog's image is just one example of his artistry. Let me share the story of how it came about. When I found out that John (one of the silversmithing students with whom I've had the privilege of working), was an airbrush artist, I asked him if he would look at my equipment as it hadn't been used in years. Of course, he not only l

Wow!  What a great time!  So yesterday, my co-teacher, Katiri, my good friend, Anastasia, and I met to do a dry run for our upcoming water casting class at the Arlington Gem and Mineral Club .    It was a blast!  Once again, I was reminded that play is an essential part of the creative process (even when you are playing with fire). That being said, the experience also reminded me of the importance of being comfortable with ambiguity as part of the creative process. Despite ou

As I tried to (for the thousandth time this year) organize my art, jewelry, craft, lapidary supplies and tools this morning, it occurred to me that I have become an art junkie and hoarder. Yes, my husband and sons have never ceased to tell me so but it was not until today that the implications of this really hit home. No, I am not horrified at my blatant disregard for the impact my hoarding has on those around me or on the less than model environment of my dwelling. Instea

When my husband and I were going through the process of trying to adopt my two boys (who are the lights of my life), I went through some days of exhilaration followed up with intense moments of debilitating panic and depression. Believe me when I say that this past experience was nothing compared to the tumult of feelings that I have experienced since deciding to put my work out there to sell. Granted, the two experiences are not even remotely comparable with the former b

Having explored my creative side over the last few years. I have realized that no matter how much I learn, there is so much more that I have yet to learn. Indeed, much of what I have to learn is about myself. What a journey! I think that one of the most freeing and yet difficult parts of this journey has been coming to the realization that I have a lot to offer and that there is nothing wrong with being different. Sometimes, being different is what sets you apart from the cr

They say that if you love what you do then you never have to work a day in your life. I know what they mean. Starting this new venture is the culmination of a lifetime of learning and experimenting. I love creating anything. For many years now I have been known for my one-of-a-kind, handmade gifts. I've created and given etched glass pieces, carved emu eggs, jewelry, dyed/painted silk items, wooden creations, soap, food items, and much more. (You'll probably see some example

The ancient Sanskrit poet Kalidasa wrote: "Look to this day: For it is life, the very life of life. In its brief course Lie all the verities and realities of your existence. The bliss of growth, The glory of action, The splendour of achievement Are but experiences of time. For yesterday is but a dream And tomorrow is only a vision; And today well-lived, makes Yesterday a dream of happiness And every tomorrow a vision of hope. Look well therefore to this day; Su