It all started with the boots. When I was a naturalist I found funky pink boots to wear for stream studies. It made the kids laugh. Kids who were afraid to venture into the water found . . . → Read More: Rainy Days.]]>   Sometimes, when life gives you rain, you have to put on your funky rain boots and go play in it.

It all started with the boots. When I was a naturalist I found funky pink boots to wear for stream studies. It made the kids laugh. Kids who were afraid to venture into the water found it a little easier when the teacher in the pink boots waded in, fell in, or just wandered in during the lecture. Well, At least I thought so.  So I became infatuated with rain boots. I saw the black and white ones after I left the Nature Reserve, but, oh-baby, I had to have them. Can you tell they are houndstooth? They are. Hee.

Ok, so now I had funky rainboots. What now. So I put together a rain outfit. Only to be worn on dreary rainy days. A funky black dress, leggings, funky (read: BIG) earrings, a wide white headband (over a 60’s inspired ponytail, of course!), bright (for a redhead…) lipstick, black a-line raincoat. I have to admit, I look forward to a little rain now. I am still in search of the perfect houndstooth umbrella. Not one of those dainty, hide-it-in-your-purse types. Nope. A big, use-it-as-a-walking-stick type. The kind that other folks want to join you under. And if it had a blue sky and clouds liner, even better.

Enjoy the rain!

(and as I was writing that, I looked up to see a HUGE doe walking right past my ground-level studio windows. I am sure she was just eating my coneflowers, but I will forgive her, it was a beautiful sight!)

I hope everyone had the holidays they hoped for. Our house was quieter than usual-between illness, weather, and just plain old exhaustion we kept a low profile. It was just what we needed.

The rest was short-lived, however-now it is time to get ready for the new year! Small spaces studio will open in a week! . . . → Read More: Happy New Year!]]> Welcome 2010!

I hope everyone had the holidays they hoped for. Our house was quieter than usual-between illness, weather, and just plain old exhaustion we kept a low profile. It was just what we needed.

The rest was short-lived, however-now it is time to get ready for the new year! Small spaces studio will open in a week! There are a few spaces left in the first class-let me know if you have a child interested in enrolling. We will be offering other classes through the year, but this a great way to get kids started. It’s a non-competitive atmosphere that should be lots of fun!

I’m hoping to get some items back in the Etsy shop this year. I’ll let you know when it happens.

Peace and blessings for the new year.

Advocating for artists – painters and poets, choreographers and composers, filmmakers, writers, architects, and others – and their creative development is . . . → Read More: From an email:]]> Something remarkable happens when you support creative people and process: New ideas are born. Lives and communities are transformed. We view the world differently. Sparks fly. And yes, the products and outcomes are pretty amazing, too!

Advocating for artists – painters and poets, choreographers and composers, filmmakers, writers, architects, and others – and their creative development is risky business. It is not easily measured by tickets sold or tourism generated, by test scores or tax returns. The tangible results – the plays and dances, books and music, and all the rest – often emerge months or years after the first creative spark. Artists’ communities fan the flames of creativity by offering inspiration and support to artists at a time when outcomes are especially uncertain, when ideas are often most fragile, in the private moments of creative daring when first the pen is put to paper, or brush to canvas, or fingers to keyboard.

Now more than ever, we need artists – to offer new ways of examining our world, to ignite our imaginations, and to tell the stories of our time. One of the most important investments we can make in our artists is supporting dedicated time to create new work, explore new ideas, experiment and take creative risks. That’s what artists’ communities and residency programs do, as research-and-development labs for the arts.

                                                       ~the Alliance of Artist’s Communities

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Time and space to create.  Imagine that. Whether you paint, craft, write, bake, sculpt, heal, perform, you know this desire. When you wake up in the morning with an incredible idea, the energy to sit down at the desk or worktable, but instead have to leave for your day job. When you realize it is midnight and the work is half done, but you need to go to bed to have the energy to face the chores of the next day. When the telephone interrupts the magical world you have slipped into where your characters are real, or the drawing has come to life.

You may say that I’m a dreamer, to borrow a phrase. I am. I have this need to create a space for artists. To teach the next generation to go to these places of imagination. I believe the arts are as important as the corporations and the colleges. When I receive mailing from The AAC, part of me rejoices, and part of me feels so disheartened. How do I get from here-the basement-to there- a place with studios and performance spaces, cabins and galleries? During a recession. While working my day job. When I don’t have time to even get a painting finished.

This morning at my day job, I looked up at the TV to notice YoYo Ma, the cellist, playing.  If you have ever watched him, you know the joy in the man. I saw him perform in person once. During breaks in his solo work during a symphony he listened to the orchestra, smiled, relaxed, emanated complete joy at being where he was at that very moment. When he played, he played with such ease it was is he was simply channeling the music that was already in the air. He was simply the vessel pouring out the music. I cannot help but become entranced by the man. For three minutes I was transformed.

So there’s where I am: grabbing minutes of creativity. Looking forward to spending a few hours a week teaching theatre again. Running home and into the basement for a few hours a week.  Blessings to all the artists who are able to work at their art today, and to all of those who are still waiting.

Know a child, or child at heart, that loves Frank Lloyd Wright, or small, long dogs?  Then find a copy of  Moxie, The Dachshund of Fallingwater by author and illustrator Cara Armstrong.

Cara is the Curator of Education for Fallingwater and loosely based the pearl wearing title character on an actual canine resident of the landmark structure. . . . → Read More: Moxie!]]>

Know a child, or child at heart, that loves Frank Lloyd Wright, or small, long dogs?  Then find a copy of  Moxie, The Dachshund of Fallingwater by author and illustrator Cara Armstrong.

Cara is the Curator of Education for Fallingwater and loosely based the pearl wearing title character on an actual canine resident of the landmark structure. Readers are introduced to the Kaufmann home from a dog’s-eye-view, a glossary is included for small readers just learning the lingo, and the illustrations are wonderful!

Copies are available through Fallingwater at www.fallingwatermuseumstore.org

We were married at 3:00pm, November 3, 2009

We . . . → Read More: Married!]]> Mr. & Mrs. Kevin Love

Hi Everyone! Just to let you know, Kevin and I eloped (with our moms!) to New York.

We were married at 3:00pm, November 3, 2009

We love you!

I started The Muse House by hand drawing and painting Christmas Cards in 2001. Kind friends and family ordered cards and kept me in Christmas money for a few years. Since then I have been painting and creating in my basement studio. This year, I am branching out, or should I say, returning to my roots. 

I . . . → Read More: Present & Past]]>

I started The Muse House by hand drawing and painting Christmas Cards in 2001. Kind friends and family ordered cards and kept me in Christmas money for a few years. Since then I have been painting and creating in my basement studio. This year, I am branching out, or should I say, returning to my roots. 

I was in professional theatre for a number of years before leaving for other endeavors. I worked any job offered including ushering, costume crew, properties, production assistant, and even sometimes as an actor. My favorite job was teaching theatre. I taught for Horse Cave Theatre, a professional theatre in KY. I went out to public schools, juvenile detention centers, community meetings, and other theatres to teach and talk about theatre. I would introduce my classes to acting, design, the history of the theatre, Shakespeare, and how anyone could be important-even if they did not want to get up in front of an audience. Little kids would come out of their shells. Adults would decide to start community one-act festivals. It was fun.

I have missed it, and look forward to digging in and doing it all over again. I’m not leaving the studio, I plan on continuing my little drawings and paintings. If anyone needs Christmas cards, let me know!

While I am waiting for the final details to be worked out for the big announcement, and for a little virus to go on it’s merry way, I have been working on my first quilt. I am machine quilting, as I have little patience for hand sewing. It seems a little fake to me, but . . . → Read More: Waiting]]>  

While I am waiting for the final details to be worked out for the big announcement, and for a little virus to go on it’s merry way, I have been working on my first quilt. I am machine quilting, as I have little patience for hand sewing. It seems a little fake to me, but I would rather get it done than dwell on authenticity. Is this wrong? What is more important, working a design, or working by hand? Right now I am voting for design.