Next month I will be exhibiting at the Worldmuse Art Walk exhibit in Bend, Oregon. I am so psyched and exited about this opportunity! This international women's conference has an amazing line up of speakers and workshops, please go check it out: WORLDMUSE2016
All artists were asked to chose a muse. My muse is Laura Hollick, artist/shaman/soul art guide/creative entrepreneur extraordinaire! She has made a life and career around inspiring others to see themselves and their life as art and create successful career around that.  I studied Soul Art and Body Mapping with Laura for 2 years and became a certified Soul Art guide in 2014. Since then I have led successful Soul Art Journeys and Body Mapping workshops for adults and have used the soul art principles in art classes with children. This has been such an enriching experience and I am looking forward to continuing creating more workshops.
As I am working on the show's art piece I am inspired to do just that; make myself and my life into a work of art.  I have never done this before. It is so much easier to focus on others and on topics that are not as personal and intimate. It is so much more comfortable to hide.... But I also feel that it is time.  I believe that what is my most personal experience is also the most universal experience. I will be sharing and posting progress images of my thought process and images I am creating for upcoming workshops and the MUSE art exhibit. To learn more about the exhibit go here: WORLDMUSE2016

To fill a crack with gold implies that a crack is making the cup more valuable. 
This is a Japanese custom and originates in the belief that a history makes an object more valuable. The Japanese concept of Wabi Sabi implies that imperfection is what makes an object more valuable as well. To that extent, the Japanese purposefully create an imperfection in a handcrafted object so that the spirit can escape. I believe that this imperfection or crack is the location where spirit can enter.
I remember vividly an early spring day in May years ago. The rhododendrons were blossoming. Their delicate and exquisite shape and texture felt like a stark contrast to the heartache I was feeling at the time. This deep heartache opened a door, a crack, into a whole other world for me. A world of acute awareness of the pain I felt in my body, the tear in my heart, the aching in my soul for the loss of love and the aching to feel whole again.
I have always believed that you can not take something away without replacing it with something more valuable and meaningful. This may sound abstract but it's very practical too. For many years of my life I smoked. I started when I was thirteen during a disastrous and traumatic family vacation. I remember that during each year I smoked I tried quitting. Many times. This went on for 20 some years. Not until I had tried every method available to me did I finally figure out what worked for me. I found that one thing that matters more to me than ANYTHING  else, that one thing that brings me so much joy, that makes me feel alive.  I found my gold to fill in the cracks. 
I believe there is no such thing as recovering from a heartache, especially when it's caused by the loss of a loved one. But I do believe that the space that is created by this heartache is opening us up to a deeper and wider love and appreciation for life and love. This is the crack through which our soul and spirit speak to us.
My last workshop title was: Heal Your HeART with Soul Art. A better title is: Connect with your HeART through Soul Art. I believe that in the connection with our soul and spirit we can create ourselves anew and recognize our true value.