In this new life I am defining forward, I ask myself the questions: what brings fullness to my life, and, what are the “shoulds” and the “oughts” that invite examining?

In light of this exploration, before I headed out to Playa at Summer Lake to teach last September, I asked myself: do I like this? Do I want to not only keep on doing this, but to expand and explore more opportunities? Does teaching fit into my studio practice? Am I doing this out of a sense of productiveness, or is the form of teaching itself satisfying and supportive of my own work?

As you might have guessed from my euphoric social media posts, sketchbook images and continued teaching, the answer to that self-inquiry was yes, yes, yes, yes. I enjoy dropping out of my own self-expression and into someone else’s, of supporting what each artist’s next steps could be.

Teaching is a counterpoint to the solitude of studio time. I recently read a book “The Long Run”  by Stacey D’Erasmo – asking elder artists (of all disciplines) what kept them going, how they kept making and why. About teaching, herself, she says: “As a teacher, it is my job to meet each student’s work with an open mind. As a writer, I need to be obsessed with what obsesses me, no more no less.” So that is the ying-yang of it, in the way I approach my teaching. I work in the studio, to please myself, to work things out, to express my voice and then I take that – the very idiosyncratic me-ness into some kind of offering that might be a process that serves others. I tell my students: I don’t teach technique exactly, and I don’t aspire to make “replicators” of my work. I share ways of working that might bring out their own voice, to encourage their freedom to dive in, their excitement to keep going. It is an expansive exercise for me to develop new classes based on my way of looking, or my appreciation of other artists. If you have taken my classes, you know I show a lot of examples! I get pretty excited about that!

I love books about the creative process. Books about the writing process translate quite well to the visual arts too. And artist monographs, especially the ones that go deep into the why and how of an artist’s journey, are inspirational and affirming. I bring these learnings into my work, and into the classroom. Recent delights include Robert Motherwell on Paper, Jennifer Bartlett and Georg Gudni, Strange Familiar. (Secret tip: these three books are available for perusing at Northwind Art School on the Fort Worden campus! They have a fabulous collection of reference art books.) Another recent read, (available from Jefferson County Library): A Bigger Message: Conversations with David Hockney is a gold standard for seeing how someone keeps their creative edge alive, with curiosity and fearlessness. David Hockney is amazing.

So, onward into sharing and teaching! In 2025, I will be teaching at Sitka Center for Art and Ecology on the Oregon Coast (summer, dates to be announced); and also in Hilton Head, South Carolina in March. I hope to return to Playa at Summer Lake. And I will be sharing and speaking about my book, its art, and the caregiving journey, with an exhibit of the paintings scheduled to open at Jefferson Museum of Art & History in March 2025, and public talks in the community in conjunction with Jefferson Healthcare Hospice. And as always, teaching from my home base at Northwind Art School, including a couple of new workshops this year. Join me!