Transition Day

Post IAMPETH convention is always tough. For an entire week we get to mingle with our own kind.

None of us get that glazed look in our eyes when we discuss paper, nibs or ink. We are with our people. This year it felt like a family reunion. Reconnnecting with old friends and meeting new people on the way. The energy of the conference is dynamic. I enjoyed every minute of my classroom experiences this year both as teacher and as student. It is always a pleasure to pass on my love of flourishing and Italian Hand with people and I was thrilled to have a class of 100 students to teach!

I loved learning from other instructors. Listening to the process of Holly Monroe and working through her creative exercises was inspiring! Watching Rosealee Anderson paint her missal letter was wonderful. I got to participate in Marcus Carlini's business writing class and have him deconstruct the arm movement process. I learned so much from these instructors!!! I had wonderful conversations, got to test out new products and hear different tricks of the trades from various calligraphers. I left Louisville on cloud nine. Part of an elaborate Silent Auction ruse was this gorgeous piece by Janet Takahashi of my studio that is being built. I can't begin to express how much joy this piece brings me. She created it with so much love. It was the brain child of my dear friend Joe and a lot of people conspired to keep the creation of this piece a secret. It will be the first piece of art to hang in my new studio. When I greeted my backyard, I took a minute to look for a pink unicorn!

 I came home to an array of packages waiting for me. Lots of new Daniel Smith paint to play with, Skyler's reprint books and my Denis Brown book!!!!

It is always bittersweet to return home. I carefully put each item back in its proper place until my next trip. I pack up my memories carefully and treasure so many in my heart. Thank you dear IAMPETH friends. In many respects you are the ones who helped me learn to find my voice. This year, I had the honour of creating the President's Certificate of Appreciation for Bryan Platt. His certificate represents a culmination of skills that took years to hone and are still evolving.

I felt so grateful to all of my teachers, mentors and IAMPETH friends as I worked on the certificate. You never know exactly where a path will take you. My first trip to IAMPETH in 2003 put my feet on a path and a journey that has brought me joy for 14 years. Sending hugs to all of you who take time to read the blog! Thanks for journeying with me.