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My time with the Durham Art Guild (DAG), as an artist in residence (AiR) has come to an end. It was bittersweet, excited about the new opportunities in front of me (more to come) but sad I won’t see everyone as often. I can highly recommend this 6-month (ish) artist in residence. I got so much out of it.

I learned a lot about myself through this residence, which could be in part due to the fact I had a lot to learn about being a full-time artist for the first time ...

2023 has been a little bit of a whirlwind, from quitting my job to focusing on being an emerging artist, to turning 50, and then to top off the milestones celebrating 10 years of sewing and quilting. I am so thankful for the opportunities and the people I have met and supported me on this journey.

In 2023, I was focused on engaging and learn about the local art communities. It was a year of firsts:

• I was accepted for my first artist in residence and then was offered a 6 month one with the Durham Art Guild.
• Had my ...

I had forgotten how much work a website is.  I have test patterns to make, swaps to complete, and a whole lot of dyeing and video making to do.

But….here I sit working on my website.  At least I can sort of do it when the migraine wanes…. I don’t dare put needle to cloth until it is over.

Back in the fall when I decided NOT to have a website anymore (read previous blog for the sad details), I could not really come up with a good reason to put in all of the work. 

Fast forward ...

I've been busy. With my gifted studio space I am making good use of it. There's no wi-fi, so I tend to just work and not stop to make videos or write posts, etc.  As a result I've been less visible than usual, which has been a good thing to do from time to time. Regroup, rethink, reprioritize, and in general concentrate on what I like, what I want and less on what I think I "should" be doing. Painting has taken me back to beginner status.  I'm just figuring things out, testing out the materials ...

I’m not feeling great.  I should probably just end this post right here.  But, no, I’ll soldier on. Not because this post is important, it’s not, but because it represents all the things on my to do list and so much that is just life. No one needs to hear my laundry list of “woes”, […]

So here’s the thing…  I feel a whole lot better when I show up even when I feel awful, even when I feel things are rough and I’m tired, even when I don’t want to.  I’ve also learned that showing up anyway is the single best remedy for not continuing to feel that way. Except […]

My father’s father, Maximilian Oscar Zürcher, my grandfather, imported Swiss lace to all the Couture Houses in Paris. Originally from Teufen, Switzerland, he moved to Paris where he and his wife raised my father, who was born in 1919 and my Aunt Jeanne. This was the extent of my knowledge regarding my grandfather. And then… Continue reading Swiss Lace & My Grandpère

There was a show at the David Lewis Gallery that my husband and I recently went to, which absolutely stunned me. It was one of those exhibits that takes your breath away. A solo show by the artist Thornton Dial. I walked in with no expectations and left profoundly moved. It was a visceral response… Continue reading Thornton Dial and His Art

Shirley Copperwhite is the Irish designer behind folk-art collections Birds of Paradise and Spring Birds. This month, she shares her musings on travels in Madeira, her Victorian inspiration and the joy of freeing her mind to do “cartwheels on the page”.   Camelot Fabrics – Please introduce yourself and tell us what you do! Shirley Copperwhite