A Journey of Faith and Art

2012 is starting off AWESOME!

2012-02-19T19:22:00.010-06:00

To my occasional readers of this VERY occasional blog....I did not fall off the face of the earth!

After the holidays, and giant rush of shoe orders, required art competitions that our district requires my students to participate in, life, and lots of other interruptions.....I found my blog again!

Much to my surprise, my TOMS customizing business has slowed, but not halted as I expected. Instead, I've had 1/3 the traffic for all of 2011 in just the first two months of 2012!! WOW! It's kind of crazy, and I'm very thankful.

I've just recently purged my studio of supplies I no longer use....as an art teacher, I'm highly attracted to ALL art supplies, and I want to try them all, and end up with a zillion samples from our annual art teacher conference with TAEA. So, I have a large box of paper and other assorted items that will be donated to an art program for the homeless hosted by a church here in Houston. The sad part is.....I still have MORE that must go, so I can have room to work!

With 12 weeks left of the school year, I think about how much I've learned, how far I've come, how much I love my students (even the "prickly" ones), and the plans I'm already making for the next school year. Lots that I won't do again, even more that I want to try and be sure to do! It's been like the "first year teacher" experience all over again! Even more so, I begin to yearn for summer and free time. Finally, new works are in production....completely new and fresh. For the moment, pastels have been set aside. I'm at an artistic crossroads; most likely, it's temporary - but I find that my "wet" paints (acrylics, mixed-media) are calling to me much more loudly than the "dry" ones (pastels). So, I am honoring that calling, working on some highly textured pieces. Stay tuned!

And two creative quotes that spoke to me:
Creativity comes from trust. Trust your instincts. And never hope more than you work.
Rita Mae Brown

A hunch is creativity trying to tell you something. (Side note - For me, that "hunch" is God telling me to head to the studio....)
Frank Capra

Gods Plans vs. My Plans

2011-11-13T11:12:00.010-06:00

As many of you know, a "book deal" has been in the works since early summer. Contracts to be written, prices to be worked out, three proposed illustrations for pages of the actual text were finished and approved...and at this moment, I still have no official paperwork. What felt like many emails and texts on my part were met with, "it's in the mail."

This opportunity was the bright spot of my summer - the hope I held after being ejected from my teaching job at the elementary level, the rope I clung to, the big dream, and that item to cross off my bucket list..."Illustrate a children's book."

So what happened? After much thought, tears, a bit of anger, and a spiritual smack upside the head, I truly believe God has intervened on my behalf to keep me from over-committing. Thankfully, I was picked back up by my district to teach junior high art (I'm adjusting - I would have preferred the summer to prepare, but hey - Fake it 'til you make it!) Changing grade levels the week before school starts is a challenge - I think I've done well; but I spend many hours after school working.

When I realized that the publishing paperwork wasn't coming - futilely checking the mailbox multiple times a day, bashing myself with, "It must be me," or, "They've changed their minds," or "They got a new artist," I was angry, and very sad. I grieved a lost opportunity. All silly, in hindsight, after the light bulb came on.

Finally, I realized, it just wasn't going to happen. Not now. Not yet.

To add insult to injury, there is the Houston event, Via Colori this coming weekend. Pastel artists of all kinds working on large areas of pavement to create beautiful paintings! I could hardly wait to be a part of it, after going to the festival last year. I submitted my application a year ago, and was accepted. What happened? I never received the emails about the upcoming event...they don't have me listed as a participating artist...new contact person...reality says it's just God's plan in action again, not Kristen's plan.

And it's more than a "Plan". It's God's protection and guidance. Recently, my husband was diagnosed with a rare lymphoma that has no cure. It's changed things around here, to put it mildly. As I try to schedule things, to grow my business, or to avoid the difficult, God removes what's not His plan.

It's a time to look to Him, and listen carefully. I could push for those two lost things that were really important to me, but He will not support that which He did not ordain. Then I'd be in a pickle!!

While at my art teacher's conference this weekend, I realized I had not made time for my own artwork (vs. art work commissioned by others). I need that desperately. I also need time to grieve, in a sense, for a marriage relationship radically changed by cancer, and for a lifetime with my spouse that will be forever different. It's time to take to my own art; when I'm creating, it is a worshipful time. God is calling me to this now - He wants my complete focus on Him and He will remove anything that might interfere with that time.

I encourage those reading to figure out your priorities, make time for them, don't leave God out of it, and listen to those little stirrings in your heart. He might be whispering "not yet". He didn't say "never"; just "not now."

I'm a "Tweeter" now!

2011-10-26T19:29:00.003-05:00

I said I wouldn't do it...but a lively technology person from our main office came to our campus to sell the idea of Twitter for teachers. Immediately, I was hooked! There is an amazing world of information available, including live chats. I finally learned what the "#"+ some words means - it is a way to make your content searchable. Officially, it's called a "hash tag". I'm so tickled with myself just to finally know what that means!!

So, I need more time on my computer, right? So, I'm a tweeter - @kristenmolder. Find me. Tweet (or twit?) me. Stay tuned.

What intrigued me the most about it all was this main idea - Facebook is for friends and family (though we all have people in our lives that we don't know on our FB!). Twitter enables us to connect with people we've never met, on topics of interest to us. So, I'm an aspiring children's book illustrator. I'll be searching for other Twitter folks that are illustrators, and people looking for them. Art education is another big topic for me - particularly junior high, as I muddle my way through (ok, I'm not giving myself enough credit, but it's REALLY different my the eight years of elementary art that I did!).

So join me - come into the 21st century. Besides, I might even through some fun positive remarks or dark humor to brighten your day!

Have a fantabulous week!

Studio Withdrawal - hopefully, temporary

2011-10-16T21:46:00.000-05:00

So, it's been eight weeks since I started my new position as a junior high art teacher. I love my new job and could easily become a workaholic. Well....I might already be there, since I either bring work home, or spend my evenings in my chair, researching best practices and lesson plans ideas.

The challenge? I'm going through studio withdrawal. I've finished one small piece for my daughter's wedding - it's a painting of the Winfield Inn - it graced the front of her Order of Service. I've turned down a private commission, for now....other personal issues, on top of wedding, on top of a new job....it's a bit much.

And the book illustration project? Should have paperwork this week - I'm ready to be published!!!!

I have done two pairs of TOMS recently....but nothing "just for me". I miss my time in the studio and pray that I will have some time soon. It's very therapeutic....it's probably the closest that I feel to God, when I creating. Guess that makes the act of creation a holy one. oh wait.....I think there's a story about that.......(insert laughter here).

It's gonna be ok, as my daughter would say. God will guide me to where he needs me.

Crazy ending to this story....

2011-08-26T22:18:00.000-05:00

Well...about the time I'd resigned myself to a life of artistry, creativity, blogging, and other such wonderful (but doesn't quite pay the bills) activities, things started getting REALLY interesting about two weeks ago.

Truly, I'd given up. It was too close to school starting - lots of classroom openings, but nothing in art. I figured God had something else in mind for me, so I went about making plans for the fall on the assumption of having no job.

Yes, God had something else in mind. First, I was offered a library aide position at my old school. Hmmm....no grades, no lesson plans (a plus), but the pay wasn't much more than what unemployment was offering. Oh, wait, an art teacher position just opened up at my neighborhood elementary....uh, well...the interview didn't go well, but that's ok because I had bad vibes. (Ever have that?? You just "know" it's not good for you to be there?)

Moving along - they weren't going to decide until before the Friday before school started, and I felt bad making my old school wait on a decision from me...so I turned down the library aide position and secretly hoped I didn't get offered the art teacher position, since my gut instinct said, "RUN!!!"

Ok, THEN I get a call that a junior high position has opened in the district I worked in....well, that would be very interesting, and I've always thought I'd like that age group. (If you knew my sense of humor, you'd understand why!)

Interviewed, got the job about one week before school started. Two days to set up my classroom, run to Austin for wedding plans with my daughter, go to in-services and somehow figure out how this thing called "Secondary Art" is going to work. Being the pack rat that I am, I still had a lot of my resources from student teaching and dragged those out to get me started. Lots of researching online, talking with other art teachers in the district....lots of prayers, lots of late nights.

I just finished week 1 of grades 6-8 Art and I love it!! My biggest concern is how am I going to make the time for my own artwork, which I lovingly created all summer long. My studio is calling to me, and I'm too pooped!

Hopefully, in the near future, I'll be back in there on the weekends. And trust the Lord, for He has plans for you greater than you can imagine. And I do plan to continue to post here - the job issue has been resolved, but I do know God has a plan for my art, too.

Creative minds in a Coffee Shop

2011-07-30T21:56:00.001-05:00

Talking with a friend this week, she spoke of taking in a roommate this fall, to both help her and help the person moving in. Finances aren't going as far as they used to, for whatever reason. We're in the same boat - we're extending an offer to a young woman to stay with us, to help both parties bear the burdens that our current economy presents. On this journey of building my art business, I meet (in cyberspace, as well as in person) all sorts of people starting new businesses or just trying to bring in some extra income with their unique talents.

Enter Taylor B. This young Christian woman recently purchased a pair of my custom TOMS, and quickly located me on Facebook, and we've become fast friends! I was granted a pleasure that I rarely get...to deliver my art in person. We met at The Bungalow, a delightful coffee shop in the Montrose area.

Being old enough to be her mom, I was wishing Miss M, my super social daughter, had come along. But she was working. (Turns out they're the same age, and both young entrepreneurs.) So, my super talkative self took over. Taylor is an energetic, high-achieving pre-law student at the University of Houston. She's a nanny during the school year, bakes cupcakes, studies for her Political Science degree, and about a million other things. Bubbly, colorful, and a walking smile when she entered the coffee shop Friday morning, during a rare thunderstorm, thanks to T.S. Don. I was completely taken with her own "Queen Bie Cakes" t-shirt - an adorable cupcake icon, bearing a mustache...which explained the design of her shoes she requested from me. They were painted out in mustaches! (Insert "duh" moment here - I should have taken a picture of Taylor with her TOMS!!) Well, here are the shoes, anyhow!

We greeted with a hug; we parted with a hug. I'm going to have to order a dozen cupcakes from her - they are made from scratch, and she's quite particular; they have to be perfect! Miss M wants to go to the Queen Bie Cupcake Camp. What's Cupcake Camp?? Well....let me tell you! Your kiddos (not sure of the age limit - I'm assuming you're never too old for cupcakes!) come home with a dozen cupcakes, some materials for the next sweet adventure, and new decorating skills. All for $35. wow. You can find Taylor on Facebook at Queen Bie Cupcakes and at Camp Cupcake on Facebook. She's in the Friendswood area - I bet it's worth the drive!

And go by and say "hi" to Katie, the owner of The Bungalow - 1219 Marconi, Houston (Just off of Montrose and W. Clay). I met her mom at our church, and have been anxious to go there. I read the reviews on Yelp.com. People raved about it. And I know why now!! She has treats for your taste buds and your eyeballs!! Handmade items, jewelry, clothing, accessories for you and your home, gifts, and shiny baubles to delight anyone who pops in for a delightful cup of coffee, latte, iced or hot. She has an amazing collection of things to tote your coffee around in - every sort of mug and travel cup, all cute as can be. Of course, I added one more to my already ridiculously large collection.

I adore the Montrose area in Houston, and any excuse to drive there is ok with me.
It's an area of colorful buildings, vintage homes, quirky shops and eclectic yard art; old houses become boutiques and coffee ships, with residential homes laced in-between. It's just charming. I'd describe where it is, but I'm not sure where it stops and ends - I googled it and a map comes up with clear boundaries, which mean little to me, since I'm a recent transplant from Austin.

Ahhh, that's why I love Montrose and The Heights. It has a very Austin-like atmosphere. And that's why I want to live down there, one of these days. There's nothing vanilla about it!

I never intended to review business or products with this blog; but I was just really excited to share these ladies and their work! Find The Bungalow and Queen Bie Cakes on Facebook. And go get some yummy stuff. Totally worth it!

Random thoughts and revelations since my last post

2011-07-20T15:30:00.001-05:00

It occurred to me that the two times I've been "laid off" from a job....well, they were both jobs that were direct reflections of my chosen degree plan. The first time, in 1989, was when I was young and naive and worked in advertising. I had a baby, and my employer suddenly didn't need me to return from my maternity leave. Funny, when I went to show off my baby to my friends, there was someone sitting in my office....but it was a blessing in disguise back then. I started a home business.

Fast forward to 2011. I went back to school in 1999 to get the art degree I always wanted. When Dad said "no, get something sensible," in 1982, I ended up in advertising, but I REALLY wanted that art degree. I knew when I was 10 that I wanted to be an artist and art teacher. Got the degree in 2003, and alas, I was let go again. Maybe my plans are not His plans?

At this moment, it's just an observation. Haven't made a connection yet, other than I'm giving that home business a "go" and I'm loving it. Can't survive on what I'm making (yet), but I'm having fun and it feels right.

I'm a hopeless optimist. I can find a silver lining, or at least a reasonable rationalization, for just about anything. My husband teases me and tells me to take off my rose-colored glasses! "Ignorance is Bliss" and all that...that's me.

Last week, Yahoo News ran a dreary article on the job forecast - it was so depressing that I stopped reading halfway through. Stories of people who had submitted not 100's, but THOUSANDS of job applications, to no avail. At what point do you question whether you should even be an employee for someone else, rather than learning a new trade, or maybe starting a business? It's hard for me to imagine applying for that many jobs and not considering other options. I'm sure they have, and their circumstances don't permit it. There was such a sense of hopelessness in the article.

I'm thankful for my sense of hope and purpose. Proverbs 19:21, "Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails."

I KNOW there is something better planned for me. I will continue to pray and do what I'm supposed to be doing on the job hunting front to discern what that plan might be.

God and Business....who's first?

2011-06-19T17:10:00.000-05:00

I need to keep a journal of blog ideas. Oh wait, I do....just not sure where I put it.

That's the theme of the past couple weeks - a little disorganized, flying by the seat of my pants. I've forgotten what it's like to work from home. When my girls were little, I worked with an educational toy company. It was very successful. I was successful (emphasis on "I"). Lots of recognition. Lots of praise. It became the "Golden Calf", this home-based business. Exodus 32 is the story of Moses' people partying hard and creating an idol to worship, while Moses was being given (literally given) the Ten Commandments. It's about misplaced faith and wrong priorities.

I knew Christ, but there wasn't a connection between my time with him at church and His hand in my business success. I sacrificed a lot of time to do business that should have been spent building a relationship with my heavenly Father. I didn't give Him the glory. After six years, I grew dissatisfied and had a huge meltdown, with the realization that this business was the 500 lb. false idol in the room. Fast-forward 20 years: Now there are so MANY things in our technological world to help us be more efficient. When I did my toy business then, there wasn't email, or online ordering; I went to the post office to bulk mail hundreds of newsletters to my team, or catalogs to my customers. Everyday, I was on the phone with those customers or team members, building that business. Now, a few clicks, and it's all done. There were no smartphones with business apps to make doing business on the run easier; now I can do business on vacation. (uh....wait.....) Anytime, anywhere, literally, I can work. It would be SO easy for me to fall back into this trap.

It's a challenge for all of us to put God first, in all we do, giving Him the glory.
As I try to build my new baby art business, my challenge is to put God first, and to maintain some sort of balance with the other areas of my life. My prayer for those that read this is that if you have a "golden calf" in your life that's eating up your time and misplacing your priorities, that you can see it and deal with it. And for my new online friends, all of trying to make our way with our own creative endeavors, may we steer clear of letting our work become the idol, and we keep our Lord first in our lives. Time management is my prayer for myself this week...what do you need??

Have a fabulous week, y'all!

oh, WOW!!

2011-06-07T22:07:00.000-05:00

Do you believe in synchronicity? Divine Coincidence? God's hand? All of the above??

I had a delightful happenstance meeting with a new friend at a summer job orientation last week. As a side note, there's something to be said for doing what you need to do, even when you're not sure. I wasn't sure I wanted to do summer art camps, but the opportunity presented may be far greater than I ever imagined.

Some of you may know that I've always wanted to "do" children's books; write them, illustrate them or both. Well....another instructor, a very busy mom with lots of artistic talents and interests...her kiddos go to the school I teach at, and she has a publishing company. I didn't know that to start with....I didn't know a thing until she asked me if I'd ever thought about illustrating children's books.

Have I???? I have sketchbooks full of ideas, my first love being alphabet books. And for the record, those are challenging to make flow, especially with the letter X.

And to show God's great sense of humor, the first section of the book deals with birds and feathers. Yes, birds! If you follow my work, I've painted MANY peacocks and chickens lately, so this is very funny to me.

I am challenged to continue to believe that God will provide....correction...CONTINUE to provide. This is my lesson for this time in my life. And I realize I'm not alone in this journey.

All Clean!

2011-05-31T22:32:00.000-05:00

A couple weeks back, in my post about my studio, "Packing" (from 5/18), I dared to show the pathetic condition of my studio. When it comes to art supplies and found objects and trinkets, I am a bit of a pack rat.

I tend to have diverse interests, which includes at times, felting, beading, acrylic painting, gouache painting, art trading cards (ACEO's), and pastel painting. And, I confess to having a little bit of attention deficit disorder - or maybe just the heart of 6-year old or a magpie bird! (Love the shiny stuff!)

So, I started dragging stuff out of my studio, cleaning it off, sorting receipts, sorting supplies - and guess what? I had watercolor paints in three separate places, blank art trading cards in two different places, empty frames in a variety of places, just shoved out of the way. Boxes of pastels stashed in various drawers and shelves. It was a mess.

I'm happy to announce that for the moment, my studio is clean and inviting. It may not be furnished with the prettiest furniture, but I've filled it with fun things that inspire me, my art books, and my collections that charm me. I've done a lot of purging of unnecessary stuff and found that to be very refreshing and therapeutic! Here are some pix of my overhauled space!

The majority of my painting supplies are here, along with my creative angels.

My latest acquisition, from Texas Trash and Treasures in Carmine, a little "Wild" for the woman!

In case I forget why I'm in the studio. (Hey, some of us will admit to walking into a room and forgetting why we're there!)

I moved my table from the opposite wall to the window side for better lighting. The stars hanging in the foreground belong to a large snowman, sitting on a crescent moon.

So....I'm ready to give this art business a run now! I just need school to be DONE!

I'm about to be enlightened...maybe.

2011-05-29T19:33:00.003-05:00

This past week, my dear hubby and I began a 5-week course on discovering our spiritual gifts. What are spiritual gifts?? Romans 12:6 says, "We have different gifts, according to the grace given us." The verse goes on to list prophesying, serving, teaching, encouraging, contributing, leadership and mercy, each as a gift that can be given to us.

The class is provided by our church to help each member find a good fit in order to better serve the greater Whole. I can see why it's an awesome idea to know what you are pre-wired by God to do. Many people think they know what they like to do, or they think they know what they need to do. Offering a class like this helps provide insight to young and old alike into what their strengths are and how that could be used in a missional/church setting, and probably reduces the burn-out and turnover that can occur in volunteer settings.

Before the class started, we all took an online, 45-minute test, which then gave us immediate results that we will delve into deeper during class. The test said that I'm wired with a large dose of compassion and mercy. I already knew that. During our first class, the test said my personality type is described as bubbly, talkative and energetic. I knew that, and everyone around me already figured it out pretty quickly!

So, the question becomes......what now? We still have four weeks of class. I've been told the obvious, thus far. But my heart is telling me that I'm there for a reason, and to stay committed. I can't help but wonder if I'll end up serving full-time somehow, or if it will define my "free time" once I find another teaching job.

More questions to ponder, with no obvious answers.....yet. I encourage you to visit the Bible verse Romans 12:6, and 1 Corinthians 12:4, and prayerfully consider what you're equipped for - even if you're not a church attendee, you're "wired" for something that can be used to serve the needs of mankind. It's my prayer that we all find where we belong in serving in the body of Christ.

Packing..., pondering and the need to "de-stuff" my creative area

2011-05-18T21:56:00.004-05:00

God is dealing with me and my deep need to collect stuff that could become an art project for myself or my students. Too much stuff!

And the dust! There's so much of it! As I begin to pack up classroom items I'm not using, I find that I'm giving my allergy medicine a real test! Lots of dust has built up on some of my books, which in turn has made me purge. If I'm not using it, I'm giving it away!! So, I have a stack collecting in my classroom of giveaways - ALL the school shirts I bought to wear to work....what was I thinking?? Tons of children's books - a collection that definitely needed thinning out; some teacher resource books, and maybe even my Snoopy collection. It's a clean out that I should have done when we moved to Katy last year. I'm not bringing it all home again!

Then I look at my studio! Argh! I had a recent big "purge" of studio stuff, but it's a mess again! I'll even show you my area. The challenge is that I'm interested in so many different things....pastels, primarily, then acylics, felting and beading for a change, mixed-media....art dolls when I'm feeling the need....and it all requires a certain amount of materials on hand. And I have a 10 x 11 room that I'm very thankful for; but I need to get rid of stuff again.

Is it the character of an artist and art teacher to be a pack rat? Maybe so...why is our "stuff" so important to us? I think we're natural recyclers...."oooh, I can use this with my students to make a __<cool 3-D item here>___." Hopeless. But I have pity on my hubby, and I'm trying not to take over the entire garage, so out goes a lot of classroom stuff! And my studio is up next! Stay tuned for stories of careful consideration of what I really NEED to create right now. Room to breathe would be a good place to start, and my pictures show it's a little crowded with my crud!!

I just had the most interesting thought; what would Jesus say if he showed up in my studio to have a look? oh my. Maybe Matthew 6:19-21 - "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven....For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Not sure about that, but it's one of those random thoughts that wandered through my head, which for me means I need to give it some attention.

Count down.....

2011-05-08T22:30:00.002-05:00

Actually, I'm trying NOT to count the days left in the school year. This is entirely uncharacteristic of me in a normal school year. I'm just as tired as the other teachers, probably more so, just from the trials of being in a new district, and now, exiting a new district. The countdown would just make it that much more clear that I'm "X" number of days from certain........certain what? Ahhh....UNcertainty. Days from UNcertainty.

This past week has been filled with art meetings, trip to Lubbock for my daughter's end-of-year choir concert, and other such activities that have kept me from significant studio time. I shipped a nice snowy painting, and secured a small commission (chickens, of course!), and another pair of TOMS (peacocks!) all this week. Somewhat steady, but certainly not enough to cover bills. sigh....

I've secured a very part-time position with a local arts organization in Katy. I'll be doing two, week-long summer camps later in the summer. I'm excited about this; I'm even more excited about the possibilities and opportunities. They do outreach for special needs groups and hospital-bound kids; they're family-oriented.....it feels right. We'll see where it goes.

Bear with me; rabbit hole! Today's sermon topic involved shepherds. Eastern shepherds' flocks follow the shepherd; western sheep shepherds' flocks are driven ahead of the shepherd by dogs, man on horse, etc. And the question posed was this....are you "driven" by the Lord (the acting out of this by our pastor was quite telling and very uncomfortable to watch) or do you "follow" the Lord. Hmmmmm.....my brain will ponder this question for days. Stay tuned.

It's sinking in now....

2011-04-27T19:45:00.001-05:00

It's been just over a week since I was "terminated" - school district's term to use, not mine. I prefer "redirected". Maybe a detour....I'll get back to teaching at some point? I hope so, but I'm open to what the Lord puts in my path.

It has been a challenging week - the kids have been dropping handmade "I'll Miss You" cards on my desk. <insert sob here>. I catch myself making plans for lessons for "next year". uh - wait....well, I suppose I still can, just in case I do manage to land the ONE art teacher job in Texas that might be available.

And then there's the constant nudging from the Universe....the nudge to create, and it seems to be affirmed almost daily. Lots of inquiries in my online Etsy store about the TOMS shoes, and a long list of work for waiting clients stares at me now - a piece of blank copier paper, with each "to do" line in a different color (written on different days, scrambling to find something to write with before I forgot!). It hangs from a piece of artist's tape, dangling from the lamp in my studio. I can't sit down or leave the room without it looking back at me, waiting for a check mark of "done" or "in progress". (I like lists. I confess to adding things to my list so I can mark them off. Sad, but true.)

More from the creative world; I had a random person find me on Etsy and ask if I'd be interested in having my shoes displayed in an art gallery/store in The Heights. YES! She's in the beginning stages of planning the shop. And several people have inquired about art lessons.

It's "happenings" like this that make me think I'm supposed to give some more attention to this full-time artist notion. Mmm...scary. Stay-tuned as this evolves. This past week has been emotionally-charged, lined with comforting promises that it'll all be ok.

His plan, not mine. (repeat often, as needed.)

A New Direction...???

2011-04-23T21:32:00.002-05:00

Recently, I was one of thousands of teachers let go due to the state of Texas' budget shortfall. Even though I saw it coming, it was still a shock.

If you've ever been let go from a job you love, you're familiar with the large basket of emotions that accompanies all of this; sadness, anger, fear, confusion....just to name a few. Throw into the mix some random "acceptance". Acceptance?? Lots of "I don't understand" and "NOW what???"

Well, I'm going to attempt to "be still" and listen to my Lord, and make some art. I pray that during this journey, my experience helps someone else who's where I am, or can relate in some way. To my friends, you can join me for this journey that I hope will meld my faith and my art in this new chapter
of my life.