Happy New Year 2013

Well, we have happily been at North Light Studios for a year. I had my first large chunk of time at my "studio" on Saturday, January 5. My wonderful babysitter is back from college for Winter break and I am hoping that the time I am allotting myself while she is here will be the kick-start to carving out time for me this year.
I have officially started my House Shrine. Since we moved into our house in Mattapoisett TEN years ago we have been finding little "treasures" in the ground, inside the walls and ceilings. I had safely stored these bits with the hopes of using them in some creative fashion. See more...

Asssembling the House Shrine with recycled wooden drawer divider courtesy Peter Allen.

Yikes! It's been months...

Last I wrote it was well before Thanksgiving 2011. We are in the new shop space at Belleville Avenue, New Bedford. I have my art supplies and collections nicely situated in my side of our office space (Rick and I share a large room separate from his wood shop). He will most likely roll eyes when he reads this as I have not done much more than put my things away. 

My first project will be a shrine dedicated to our house. During renovations and additions we found some cool items tucked in the ceilings and buried in the ground! Nothing of monetary value but sentimental. Makes you wonder about the people who walked these floors before us!

Bits & Pieces ~ The Studio

611 Belleville Avenue, New Bedford, MA is now my "officially" Bits & Pieces ~ The Studio. It is located inside Nashawena Mills, a turn of the century fabric mill. At this renovated mill space you will also find Rick's fine woodworking shop, a drapery workroom, a sculptor/illustrator, a surf board maker and a wood carver. We have respectfully named this group North Light Studios, A Creative Cooperative, for the sawtooth windows that bring in the north light! The good vibes and inspiration that is flowing through this 13,000 sq. ft. workspace is energizing! It has been a LOT of work for Rick and the others. I am fortunate that my area, a shared office space with Rick needed minimal work. Just a couple days of floor scrubbing and painting. (Well, actually Rick did the painting!)  I have been moving my bits & pieces over there and I am looking forward to making room in my schedule to be there and create!

Rick on the roof at North Light Studios overlooking Belleville Avenue, New Bedford.

Movin' my stuff!

STEC logo

This summer I created a logo with Kristen Sakarati of Blue Skies Consulting for the Sportmen's Tennis & Enrichment Center in Dorchester, MA. This was fun because I love tennis -- haven't played in years but love it none-the-less. At the US Open 2011, The Sportmen's Tennis & Enrichment Center received a USTA 2011 ICON Award. (US Tennis Association)


Excerpt from USTA website:
FLUSHING, N.Y., August 31, 2011 – The USTA today proudly announced the recipients of its 2011 ICON Awards, which not only honor individuals and organizations that have made a positive impact on diversity and inclusion in our sport and society, but also emphasize the association’s commitment to fairness and equality. This year’s recipients of the USTA 2011 ICON Awards are Phoenix Suns President and Chief Executive Officer Rick Welts and the Sportsmen’s Tennis and Enrichment Center of Boston. 

Sportsmen’s Tennis and Enrichment Center (STEC) was founded in 1961, and is the first African American Tennis Club in the United States. Its mission is to create an interracial setting where urban youth can develop a healthy, competitive spirit, on and off the tennis court. As a member of the USTA/National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL) network, STEC also provides an accessible, positive, nurturing environment for more than 1,500 young people in the Boston Community by helping them to advance their tennis game, academic achievement and social skills. It prides itself on serving as a community partner committed to never turning away any child from recreational or instructional tennis for lack of funds. Since its inception, STEC has touched the lives of more than 40,000 kids from and around the Boston community.

Click here for link to entire article

A beautiful day. Timer set for 15 minutes

I am looking out my office window at a blue sunny sky feeling very happy and inspired. The egg timer is set for 15 minutes. I am trying to figure out a schedule to write more. I often become intimidated because I feel I don't have the time. So I am testing myself by setting a timer and writing until rings.

The Mattapoisett PTA website & Facebook Page.

It is a new school season -- always so much room for optimism! Looking forward to another year as Arts & Humanities Chairperson bringing cultural and education programs to my children's schools. This past week I launched a new website for my town's PTA. www.mattapoisettpta.org I really enjoyed producing it and learning so much more through the process. A pro bono" piece it always good for stimulation especially if you love the "subject".

Rick is moving to a new shop space in New Bedford. This is a very exciting and daunting venture for us. We are both looking forward to a bigger workspace. He for his woodworking business. For me, a place to start a project and walk away (to contemplate or eat which ever is most necessary at the moment) without worrying small, curious hands are dissecting it! I am going to put some of my videoing skills to test and document the process for our own shear entertainment years to come.

Ahh, the timer just went off. I DID it! (Ok, it rang a few minutes ago but I had to finish my thought!)

Time to reinvent yourself.

In addition to having a website design business, I am a mother of three under the age of 10. Together these tend to limit personal creative time but this is the time to make changes! I am making a concerted effort to make some time for me. Yes, Mommy wants time to be creative just because! 

Over the years, I have collected bits & pieces. Not so much a hoarder but an organized keeper of objects. I took the time recently to look at this collection. I am amazed to think how long I have had most of it and the places I lived with them. Glass jars full of charms from gumball machines, buttons, beads, little plastic figures, shells, boxes full of bits of wood veneers from my husband, Rick's shop, fabric from my friend Cheryl. Photographs, gorgeous paper samples from past employment. Broken jewelry waiting to be transformed. The list goes on and on. All of these treasures have been put away for a long time. I brought them back out for inspiration. I am excited to see where it will go. I'll let you know.