open spaces

I caught a very bad case of Covid in October and spent most of November and December watching the sky from my comfy office chair. Once the worst of the symptoms were over, I started to enjoy the quiet, unscheduled days. The lack of energy kept me resting, doodling, dreaming.

Come January, I had a bit more energy and an open calendar. I started to make small pieces again, my Mottainai Pieces. They took me out to the studio every day.

One day, in the quiet, I started making these pieces.

I call them Open Spaces.

They start with India ink, then black machine stitch, then a mixture of watercolors, and pigments. I brought a few of them into my house. They felt fresh and clear and lovely. They feel like open space to me. I’ve always loved open spaces; the plains of the Dakotas, a big expanse of fields, a huge view of the sky. I think Open Spaces have always been a big part of my art – this is just a new iteration.

I hope the next time I start to feel too frazzled from too much activity, I’ll let myself sit idly in my chair watching the sky without needing to get sick. Years ago, I read Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain. It’s a good book and one worth reading again and again.

Here’s a link to these Open Spaces which are now for sale on my website.

I am so grateful to collectors who have purchased so many of the January Mottainai Pieces. Here’s a link to the ones that remain.

Wishing you calm, quiet, and the rejuvenation that comes from it.

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