I definitely have disaster fatigue, and I am only marginally affected. When Hurricane Harvey hit Houston I was tense waiting for updates from my family as the rains fell. On August 28 I felt guilty for the lovely weather and listening to life-as-usual conversations. Meanwhile, friends and family were watching water rise into their neighborhoods. […]
Category Archives: Musings and Inspiration
21
Sep
Sep
Last week I visited the Elmhurst Art Museum, which has two lovely exhibits up. The cartoon-like works of the Forced Field exhibit by Hebru Brantley seem cheerful at first, but have an underlying message that is more serious. Hebru’s Flyboy is a recurrent theme, based on the Tuskegee Airmen from World War II. The collection […]
05
Sep
Sep
I’ve been trying to maintain normalcy since August 25, but there is a lot of emotional upheaval when the town you spent 8 years in is devastated by a catastrophic storm. My mom and brother still live in the greater Houston area, as do many of my high school classmates whose parents are still rooted […]
01
Aug
Aug
Last weekend Hip Circle Empowerment Center hosted its third annual body positivity photoshoot.  This year’s focus was arms, with a dress code of sleeveless tops and dresses. Having just made two sleeveless dresses, it didn’t occur to me that some women are self-conscious about their arms. Then on July 14 going sleeveless even became a political issue […]
20
Jul
Jul
Between EvanstonMade and preparing for the pop up and gearing up for August’s events, my art life has been quite busy. Nonetheless, I do make sure to stop and smell the flowers, observe butterflies, and stroll in nature. I blog outdoors when I can to soak up the sun. Here are some of the snapshots of […]
13
Jul
Jul
“We are all connected. If we are not really invested in helping each other, there is no hope for us. It’s about how our lives are all limited without having deep conversations and interactions with one another.” ~ Melissa Blount Women starting new lives in a new home or trying to get away from abuse. […]
11
Jul
Jul
“I see this quilt as an opportunity to create repair. When you have empathy, it is hard to do damage. We haven’t dealt with the idea of how we have dehumanized black folk.” ~ Melissa Blount On June 25, Evanston residents gathered for the unveiling of the Black Lives Matter Witness Quilt at the Frances […]
06
Jul
Jul
Earlier this year I took a dressmaking class at the lovely Evanston Stitchworks. Then when my mom came to visit, instead of heading to the Mall we picked out my new future wardrobe based on the gorgeous fabrics owner Amalia curates at Stitchworks. It was good to get a second opinion on some of the […]
29
Jun
Jun
Sometimes weary hands need a bit of pampering, and it had been far too long since I visited Noktivo. On Friday I gave my hands and feet a break and settled into one of the comfy chairs at Lena Rose. The hands deserved a break, since Noktivo and Lena Rose owner Jenny had asked me […]
28
Mar
Mar
Well wouldn’t you know it, the week after I organized my bookshelf I wasn’t allowed to read anything. I am going through Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way with a local group of lovely women, and Week 4 is when we aren’t supposed to read anything. This is really, really hard for me. In the spirit […]
