Webcomic: A Brain Matter
This is my story about when an artist hits a wall… heh heh…. heh… :D ~Maritza
Retreating to Recalibrate
Dear Self, I’m writing to you because I think it might help to slow you down and reflect…
Impressions: A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
I decided to read* this because I needed to have an entertaining story with amusing elements. This writer came through for me …
Impressions: Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger
My local indie children’s bookseller told me this is what I should read if I want to know what middle grade books kids around here are asking for and loving these days….
Impressions: The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
Chapter One: “Our story begins on the ocean, with wind and rain and thunder and lightning and waves… .” Drops me right in.
Impressions: How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis
I decided on this book when I wanted an easy listen, and it hit all the notes I was looking for.
Impressions: Proust & the Squid by Maryanne Wolf
On the reading process:…I started reading (listening to) this sometime in December. Loved listening to the history of the development of writing, along with…
Impressions: Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
(includes spoilers)
Just a list of thoughts after finishing the book.
Why Emily Dickinson?
I’m joining Folktale Week’s illustrator challenge* on Instagram, because I love a good set of prompts AND I enjoy getting my work out in a way that drops it into a community. And! I found a way that’s *very me* to join…. Cinderella X Emily Dickinson!
Not Forever
It’s been 10 years. He’d be, what— 32 now?— and every year that passes, he seems to get younger and younger.
Mixing Things Up
Even though mixing things up can mean all sorts of confusion… I’ve mixed things up in my art life and I’ve gained clarity.
Roots Go Round
A couple earthquakes ago, the pavement in our backyard buckled to the point that we’d become the not-proud owners of way too many tripping hazards. The dogs managed the unevenness just fine, but us humans…
About Changing
I went on a walk this morning with my friend who is the executive director of the school where I work as the artist in residence. We talked about how to change the world and what that means. We masked up & walked the neighborhood next to what's almost my former studio space…
Nesting in Place
As of 3pm on Friday, March 20th, 2020: It’s the fourth day of shelter in place. Doing school with my youngest at home is a huge change when he depends on routines and support from staff to manage autism of the PDA variety. It’s the first day that he and I have managed to have a solid "plan"…
Not Knowing How to Do Things
How does it feel to not know how.to.do things? If it's a big stretch to answer that question, it's one of these reasons: (a) you lie to yourself that you know how to do everything (b) you know you don't know how to do things but prefer to not think about it (c) you can't remember a constant I-don't-know-how life stage because you blocked it out—ok fine there are additional reasons, like maybe: (d) you freeze up when asked specific questions…
Open Studio Fri Oct 11th!
Hey! So this coming Friday Oct 11th 6-9pm, I'm opening my studio to the public for the first time in the new location. If you are nearby, please come! Even kids, if they like art fun. I have quite a bit to do in the next seven days, but I think I'm up to the challenge. :) This opening will be a little different than the ones I've had before, where I hung my work on white walls, set out some cheese, crackers, etc, and chatted with friends.I'm envisioning something a bit more... whatever. Plus live music & snacks! Specifically…
Memorial Morning
I went to the Lafayette Crosses this morning. It’s not something I’ve been able to plan ahead to do. I can’t predict how I’ll feel the morning of, which is today.
Crash. Boom. Opera. (Or: My Bike Crash in the Clear Light of Day.)
Thump. Thump. Thump. The sound of a kid doing basketball drills, bouncing the ball in that monotonous way. The picture of the afternoon sunlight on a driveway, the passing of time marked by the mundane. The beat. The beat. The beat.
The Architecture That Isn't
Over the years, I've noticed whenever there's been a demolition in an area I think I know pretty well, I still can't for the life of me remember what used to be there before the crews blew it up or tore it down.
The dream I dreamed.
A dream I had in mid-July: I was walking among houses that had paths between them.