It has been an incredibly busy 4 months! I am ever so grateful for some time off and an opportunity to re-charge. However, before I get to blogging about some recent art I have created, I want to say a few words about my dear friend, Carol Parks who passed away recently. These photos are snapshots of her backyard. Every time I visited Carol's home, whether it was to take a class or for her annual Valentine's Day tea, Carol always managed to pull out all of the stops for anyone who was fortunate to be included. Carol made everyone feel at home. Carol made every thing look SO easy! Every last detail was taken care of and she made it all look like it was effortless when in fact, it was very time-consuming. She was an incredibly generous, creative, and fascinating woman! And oh, what a friend...

Not only was Carol a special friend to me, she was a patron saint to several artists she hosted at her home. I can't speak for anyone except myself, but if it hadn't been for Carol, I most likely would never have gotten an opportunity to take such wonderful classes with the likes of Traci Bunkers, Juliana Coles, and Lynne Perrella. My job makes it almost impossible to take time off for classes and because I could never get to Artfest or other venues across the country because of my work schedule, Carol hosting workshops @ her home gave me a chance to take classes with some of the best artists out there. When I look at these shots I took of Carol's patio and backyard, they seem to personify Carol. These chairs among the beautiful, vibrant colors, beckon you to take a seat, take a load off, to slow down, and enjoy the moment. Just like Carol did... Carol, you will be sorely missed.