Don't give up.

Spring will arrive

The top piece is a crab apple branch for Hennepin county medical center, post surgery.

 5 feet by 18 inches

Bombus Affinis 14 x 17 inches

I just returned from my third weekend in prison, with alternatives to violence program. I am now certified to be a facilitator. What does this mean exactly for me. I am still not completely clear why I am doing this. It has been very helpful to go into the prison and talk and listen to these guys; to see their humanity, their vulnerability, to listen to their stories and struggles. I feel hopeful that they desire change, but I also think I understand the reality of how hard this will be. Once they are released it will be very difficult for them to find work and shelter and very tempting to return to drugs and alcohol. Many will return to prison because it will become their only alternative. This is a very difficult to contemplate and part of where I struggle in what way can I help? I am only an artist, searching for an answer, I suspect the answer will be art. 

This is a piece I started after my second trip into the prison.. 

With thanks to the giving tree.

This tree started as a community project at HCMC (Hennepin County Medical Center)

I first out lined the tree and then cut out hundreds of leaves and bark pieces to bring with me.

We set up a table in the hallway in front of day surgery and invited any one who passed by to participate, we had over 45 participants. I brought it back to my studio and finished it up.

This piece will hang out side the day surgery waiting room. I hope it will bring hope and solice to the people waiting.

Sneak peek of what's next for inside post surgery.

It began here

'

Where love and art intersect = healing

To learn more about the Karen go here http://www.mnkaren.org/about.htm

The journey begins

To be continued...

Big love!

A work in progress...

And a little snow shot

Glass casting

I am back to playing around with glass frit and seeing what can happen...

Again I don't really know where I am going or what exactly I am looking for but I am having fun.

Keep playing!

I like how you can see the big red hand outside

Satellite

This piece took me forever! 6 weeks of messing with my head, leading me one way and then another but here at last it's finished. 

So those crazy bumpy things are not rocks but recycled Ceramic cones for deburring. (An extremely hard abrasive-free media used for burnishing, polishing, light deburring and driving loose abrasives. It is a proven media choice for use in chemically accelerated processes where a lower density media is required)