In January of 2023, each week I began to make nine small pieces and arrange them in grid form. I tore up old, failed pieces and gathered other bits. I incorporated handmade porcelain trinkets reminiscent of my years working with clay.

From January through April, I made these grids. As I worked, I remembered when I made the pieces, the studio they were made in, and days with Bruce. I loved making these pieces.

Many of these grids have a feeling of age – burned edges and hand stitch buried in beeswax – like some treasure dug up from the past. The memories of a long life are buried in each of us. I was remembering but softening the memory with beeswax or burning the edges as I said goodbye to those times in my life.

A grid of nine is complete, stable, and strong. I loved that they sometimes expanded into grids of 21. Complete but with the possibility of moving onto something new.

I don’t always understand why I am drawn to make certain pieces of art. This time, I now realize I was preparing to move forward with life after the loss of Bruce and my own health issues.

I sold our home in April and moved to a new home and a new studio. It’s in town, not so isolated, and perfect for me. I’m starting something new and coming back to life.

As always happens, my art is changing as a result. I’m not quite sure where it’s going but I suspect it will be bigger, looser, freer.

In the meantime, nine of the grids of nine will be at Mavi Contemporary Art in Gig Harbor, WA for the month of September. I’ll be at the gallery on September 2 from 1-3:00pm PDT and I’d love to see you there.