Hi! I am back! Miss me? I sure missed you!

Heeeeeeeeeeelllllooooooooo..... (echo)! 

I've missed you, dear Creatives! 

Wow, it has been almost 3 years since I posted on this blog. Oops! Sorry about that. 

Time flies when you are exploring your inner world, having crazy intense relationships, training for new careers, and generally finding out who you are and what you love. 

AKA Living. 

And like all things in life, some things fall away and never come back again. And sometimes, they come back unexpectedly in a way that is both familiar and new. 

That is what is happening with my art career. 

To paraphrase someone brilliant that I can't find no matter how much I google...

To be an artist - make art for 12 years. Then not make art for 12 years. Then you will be an artist. 

Well I didn't make it 12 years away from art... but I did take a break for about 3 years, especially from Encaustic, my beautiful waxy mistress.  

And I have the best excuse in the world: No studio space. (wahhhhh!!! Let's all have a pity party for Jaime and all the artists in the world who have no studio space.  Ten seconds of hissy fit throwing. Go!!) 

Deep breath! Okay are we done crying over lack of space to create? Awesome. What else is possible here? whee! 

I still don't have a studio space. But it is time to create again. And it ironically started thinking about what I have "successfully healed from" so that I could find the people I wanted to work with. 

Turns out the people I want to work with were already in my life.  Those people are you. Your friends. My crazy twitter followers. 

Creative people who followed me years ago because they saw a passionate young woman willing to announce that she is an emerging artist, grab a blowtorch and whatever was close at hand, make some art, and teach some things online. 

I had no idea what I was starting. And I had no idea the VALUE of Connection I built those many years ago. 

I just wanted playmates. People to talk to as I created. People to show what was bubbling through me so that it could be acknowledge.  

Art making is a journey. That is what I called this blog when I started. 

And sometimes not making art is a journey. 

I have been on the path of both making and non making for years.

I was going to give up this blog and lay it to rest. Yet as I move into the next phase of my creating, I realized that would be doing you a disservice by not telling you where I am in case you want to connect. 

So I am letting you know, I am home again! Hi!!! 

If you get this out of nowhere and aren't interested in my work anymore, then feel free to remove me from your list with so much love and respect. 

For everyone else who choses to stay, or join in, man do we have some fun to have! I wonder what is possible now?!

My Facebook Fan page remains the same, so if you would like to connect, leave a comment here or on my page. I would love to feel you and see what is going on with your art making journey. 

More on my journey coming up soon! 

Have a beautiful Sunday! 

Love, 

Jaime  

A year later, my core message is the same

"I am loved" Copyright Jaime Lyerly, September 2012

It has been almost a year since I posted on this site.

It has been an amazing year with all kinds of shifts in my personal growth and life.

I am still creating myself from the inside out. And that journey has been personal. And I have shared it on Facebook, but tried not to write while I have been in the thick of it.

But I have honestly never been happier in my life than I am at this time.

So I started blogging again, and going back on my twitter, and seeing what is alive for the people I left all silently as I grew. And I have been working on rebranding myself under the title of Expressive Goddess Play Leader. I started a brand new wordpress blog at Expressive Goddess. And a meetup group for San Diego women to come play with me.

But all that I am trying to dress up my monkey to dance for you, what I am really offering you is a piece of myself. A piece of Jaime Lyerly. A core message that is the essence of my being.

My message is Creative Expression Heals.  

So I invite you to find time today to do something creative. Even if for just five minutes. 

And we will play again soon. Either on this site or some other.

Thank you for being a part of my journey. Even when I am silent, I know I have your support.
~ Jaime Lyerly
 

Like magma; like lava

Like Mother Earth, things in my life have been changing rapidly and have shaken me to the core.

Since hitting the Pause button on my blog in May, I have experienced some major life changes: 

1. Graduation with my Bachelor's in Art: Applied Design, with a minor in Psychology
2. Ending of a my romantic relationship that lasted 10.5 years
3. Spiritual awakening to my role as a Energy Healer and Shamanic Temple Priestess 

These changes needed to happen "off-line" as much as possible so that I could process them. But I am being called to share my journey again with you. 

But this journey will be different than before. 

Because this earth sign (I'm a Taurus) has been set on FIRE with my new spiritual connection. 

And through this fiery, creative channel comes new art.   

Like magma, my fiery earth has churned, hidden from view. 

Like lava, it is time to let it out. 

So expect new and exciting directions for this blog.

The old content, especially my tutorials, will still be here. I will still share resources and things involving art.


But my goal now in life is to Start YOUR Creative Fire!

and teach by example so that it can burn bright and keep you warm during the toughest transitions.  

On Fire, 
Jaime Lyerly 

Releasing the old to make room for the new

 Pele, from the Goddess Guidance Oracle Cards to spark this fire of releasing. 

See this helpful blog post for the meaning of the card.

I am a crossroads in my life as old parts of me fall away and shiny new parts are growing.

To celebrate this transition, instead of letting it scare the shit out of me, I am devoting more of my time to my spiritual practices and letting them inform my artistic expressions.

With my very limited time, I kept this blog going with a very low amount of effort over the last year, and have disappointed many people including myself for not keeping it up to date. I don't have the energy to do it all. And I kept waiting to find that energy somewhere.

So rather than waiting till I "get back to normal" to start blogging again, I am going to release this blog and all its obligations.


What does that mean? The posts will still be here, but I will not. 

I may eventually delete the whole thing, but for now, it will be an archive of where I have been, what I have taught and the art that I made.

And it will be a testament to the readers and viewers who have shared this journey with me.


Thank you for sharing this journey with me  - however long it has been for you.

You have given me a voice. Thank you.

So I leave this blog the most recent picture of me with one of my Temple Priestess teachers, Jennifer Masters, who along with my other teacher Kaliani Divine and the many others in the Temple Priestess community who have help facilitate my amazing growth.  

 Photo by Felicia, May 2011 at Beatrex's Lakshmi Abundance Ceremony

I am more ME than I ever have been in my life. Now I need to figure out what that "me" wants to do. And I need to do it outside of the blogosphere.

Wait! I am not going completely away! I am still going to maintain my Facebook fan and personal page, and twitter. I just may have more to say about spiritual practices than art for the time being.

When I can weave this new spiritual understanding and my drive for art making, I will be back switched on with the full force of my new powers. Just wait and see.

Thank you again for being here and sharing your journey with me!
In love and light ~ Jaime Lyerly

Zoom! From Haystack, to school to one retreat after another

Quick note to fill in the blanks while I work on the "real" posts for these events.

Got back on Friday night, August 27 from the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts (in Deer Isle, Maine) where I was the Technical Assistant to Cynthia Winika for the Hot Wax: Encaustic Painting Comprehensive Workshop.

The Haystack experience was amazing! I cannot say enough good things about it. I am doing a write up in more detail about this event.

Then school started for me on Tuesday, August 30th before I could even catch my breathe or really unpack my stuff (and life) from two weeks away at Haystack.

As I rush, rush hurry to class to work to class to home to blah blah blah... I am trying to get a solid hold of my schedule and make time for contemplation and writing about my events. But everything on my to do list marked priority! What is a girl to do?

So on that note, I am packing my bags to go teach Encaustic Collage at the San Diego Women's Caucus for Art Retreat, in Julian, CA. It will be the first time I am teaching just collage - which I think is the easiest way to begin to understand working in wax. I am excited to teach, and am looking forward to the event.

But another part of me is just looking forward to having a couple of days where someone cooks my meals again (thanks, Haystack for spoiling me for two weeks) and let's me have quiet time or social time at my own choosing.

I hope to have a great write up about both events within in next week. Then it is rush, rush off to the International Encaustic Artist Annual Advance (Retreat) in San Francisco, the week after that! I think I will need a retreat from all the retreats I am going to.

Until then! Happy art making (even in a rush!) ~ Jaime Lyerly

Jaime's going to Haystack!

Haystack's photo of the week for this week. A view of Haystack of Haystack from Jericho Bay, August 2010.
See more photos at this link: http://www.haystack-mtn.org/gallery.php 

I flipped through the pages of the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts Summer workshop catalog in January 2010, and my breath caught as I see the words “Encaustic Painting.” (If you haven't heard yet, encaustic is pigmented beeswax and damar resin that is applied hot to a surface. Encaustic means to burn in).

At San Diego State University (SDSU), where I am finishing my BA in Art: emphasis sculpture, minor in Psychology, there is one scholarship awarded to a student from the Applied Design program to attend Haystack for a summer session.

While the scholarship was awarded to a graduate student, the idea to attend this outstanding school was firmly planted in my brain. I gathered images, updated my resume, made a list of my technical abilities, and sent emails to my amazing and overworked professors to request letters of recommendation.

Having two years of experience working in encaustic and a few encaustic-teaching gigs under my belt, I told myself “I can do this!”

So I applied for the Technical Assistant Scholarship to the “Hot Wax: Encaustic Painting Comprehensive” taught by R & F Instructor Cynthia Winika – and, you guessed it, I won!

Now it is the second week of August, and the time has finally come!

I am leaving this Saturday, August 14, 2010 on an overnight flight for two weeks of intensive study of encaustic painting on the coast of Maine!

Some of the artists who have attended Haystack tell me that it was a momentous time of growth.

SDSU MFA ceramics graduate Kelly Schnorr told me that during her time as a Technical Assistant at Haystack that everyday she woke up thinking she was in heaven.

I know I am in for a life-changing experience.

 

 Haystack sums it up:

The unique experience to be found at Haystack is owed to the combination of internationally-renowned instructors, intensive and focused studio time, the exploration of other art forms including music, poetry and dance, a diverse student body, and an award-winning campus. Students live, eat and work at the school, and studios remain open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 

Are you jealous, yet? I would be too!
 
The workshop description for Cynthia Winika’s Hot Wax: Encaustic Painting Comprehensive gives you a clue to what is in store:

Encaustic (beeswax) painting, derived from the legendary painting of the ancient Greeks, is one of the most versatile, durable, and beautiful painting media. After being out of use for 2000 years, it has made a recent resurgence. This workshop will provide a basic understanding of sound technique, safe studio practice, and show the many ways of using the paint and medium. Preparation of supports, thermal properties of encaustic paint, fusing, and demonstration of a wide variety of painting, layering, collage, solvent free image transfer, and mixed media techniques will be incorporated. Slide presentations will include information about the history of encaustics, 20th century revivals, and contemporary artists working with encaustic. All levels welcome.

 
As the technical assistant for this workshop, I have a unique position in that I am able to attend the workshop, help the instructor, do a presentation about my work, exhibit two pieces in their show, and work on my own art during the free time. All this and meals included!

I am more than looking forward to enjoying all this experience has to offer. I have never had two weeks away from my partner and thirteen-year-old son to be able to focus on my art, so this gift of time is especially moving.

Yet the excitement of having two weeks to work in wax has me all aflutter as I pack my supplies that I want to bring it all!

I just found out that the encaustic supplies are included in the studio fee, but I still need to pack my own panels, papers, and tools. It is a few days before I leave and still packing up and pairing down what I need to bring.


Bottom Line - Two weeks in Maine with studio time devoted to encaustic painting? Heavenly.


Want to hear more about it? Great! I don't expect to have much computer time while I am there, but I will write up an “After Haystack” post including experiential pictures and studio shots that I know you want to see.


Until then, you can pop over to my Facebook page or Twitter and send me a “Good luck at Haystack” message or share some “I heart Haystack” stories and tips!

Looking forward to sharing my experience with you! ~ Jaime Lyerly

Movements of my soul -- Introduction to Family Constellations workshop - Sunday 6/27/2010 in Vista, CA.

First family constellation final healing, Oil pastel drawing, © 2009 Jaime Lyerly

I have been changing....

Changing what I am,
what I want,
how I live,
what I do,
what I need,
and how I deal with it all.

During my time of major flux (my partner moving to Berkeley, my son graduating from middle school, my job not being what it used it be, my high stress life taking a toll, researching graduate schools and more) , I usually turn to art-making as a way to cope.

However, it has been a desert of non-productiveness in my life recently.

A lull in creative expression for a week to "unwind" from classes ending has turned into month of no art making.

A few nights of just watching tv has turned into a sleepless nights playing video games.

A break from class work has turned into a break from living.

How does this happen? I am not sure.

But during this time of low productivity has come a huge blessing - a time for "soul work."

Through artist and healer Ellen "Ellie" Benfatti, I learned of Family Constellation work, which is based on social psychology, family dynamics and energy healing.

She calls the changes that occur because of this healing, "Movements of the Soul."

I won't go into too much detail about the constellations here, but I can say that they have changed my life.

Every aspect of it from how I make art, who I think I am, what do I want, how do I get it, and how do I deal with this thing called life.

And it is a lot to process! Which is why I my blog has been neglected and you see me less on the social networking sites. I'm still here.... just thinking, feeling and trying to understand it.

So please bear with me as I morph into this new person that is greater than the sum of her parts.

Want to know more about Family Constellation work?

Great! Check out the links above and the book called The Healing Power of the Past.

Live in San Diego area? Even better!


Ellie is having a three hour workshop this Sunday, June 27, 2010 from 10 am to 2 pm which is an Introduction to Family Constellations. 


Here is the info from the Facebook event: 


This is an introductory 3 hour workshop. If you've wanted to join Ellie to experience the transformational work of Family Constellations but haven't had the funds or the time now is your opportunity. Ellie asks that all participants contribute a donation of $25.00 to cover the expense of the conference room. Ellie will do 1 constellation chosen by lottery and 1 constellation as a group. Great opportunity for those of you who are wanting to experience more success in your personal finances, life's passion and or career. Ellie will be focusing on Money and the Heart. You must RSVP to attend. Please RSVP by email to: eangel11@gmail.com. If you don't RSVP you will not be admitted to the event. Sorry no exceptions space is limited. When you RSVP please provide name, phone number, and names of guests who are attending with you. 


Note: I will be attending this event!

It really is an awesome experience, and I felt compelled to share it with my friends and readers.

To your health and wellness and deep soul movements.. ~ Jaime Lyerly

Watch me tonight LIVE on Community Artist Connection Public Access TV show

Haven't gotten enough of me "talking" on my blog? Watch me on TV!

Tonight at 8 pm, I will be interviewed by artist Laura Jean Thompson for her Community Artist Connection Public Access TV Show.

We will be talking about my encaustic art, future career goals and whatever else she throws my way.

I am surprisingly less nervous than I would expect at the moment. However, I am not sure what is going to happen when I actually get there!

You can watch the broadcast LIVE via the internet at the link below. It should be on 8 pm, PST.
Live Broadcast!

There is supposed to be a "Chat" function that you can ask questions which we can see. This is all new to me so I am not sure how that all works. But feel free to check it out!

I am even letting my 13-year-old son watch via the internet at home. He may be the only kid in the world who would want to "chat" with his mom during her interview.

The show will air later on Public Access TV. I will let you know exactly when it will be on.

Okay - time to shove down some dinner and get moving!

Thanks for the support! ~Jaime Lyerly

Wordless Wedneday - Introspection

Self portrait © 2010 Jaime Lyerly

Blog Triage - HW #3 - "About me" Revamped

Where does your path lead?

Like any slacker student, I am choosing to do the homework I like first before the others. Therefore, for my Blog Triage homework, I am skipping #2 for the moment. Don't tell the teachers!

Blog Triage Homework #3 is about revamping our "About Me" page.

Hooray! I have had roughly the same "About Me" page on Blogger since I started the blog in January 2009. Adding a few sentences over the last few months does not count as revamping, so it is time.

How could my "About Me" be the same if the "ME" part of it is not? Haven't I grown in over a year? Haven't you grown?

So rather than fix up the "About me" page and secretly hope that you never see the previous one, I decided to make a blog post to tell you where I was, and where I am NOW.

"About Me" Before:

I am a mixed media artist trying to bridge the gap between personal narrative and art made for the public eye. My works speak of the ambiguity of our future and our connection to the natural world. As a mother, I try to make the best out of what has been given to me and my art reflects that never-ending effort. It is messy, layered, personal and uncertain – just like everyday living. Found objects, discarded materials and branches from nature blend together with beeswax and hand-knitted yarn to create art that is familiar yet hauntingly distant from its original function. My current work is in exploring the limits and versatility of encaustic (molten beeswax applied hot, resin and pigments) in two dimensional and three-dimensional forms. My explorations include traditional encaustic paneling on panel, but also working three dimensionally with the wax to find out how far it can be removed from its' support. I manipulate the wax using heat, and combine it materials that are not used in traditional encaustic painting. I then examine how it is affected by light, motion, and heat. I love to share my process with others.

This "About Me" is basically my artist statement (which also needs lots of help).

To re-write this, here is a little free-writing...

What's the same:

• Working in encaustic wax and beeswax
• Sharing my process
• Still a mother, artist and blogger
• Being a nerdy, scholarship-winning honor society art undergraduate student
• Tattooed, opinionated, talkative and easily distracted
• Playful and full of enthusiasm
  
• Son calls me "Visser One" and say "yes, my evil master..." when I assign extra chores
  
• Interested in Conceptualism, Art History and Psychology
• Love to read
  
• Experimentation and process art
• Creating something everyday
• Love to support other artists
• Being a procrastinator
  

What is different:

• My son is starting high school next year (that statement makes me feel old...)
• My purple hair
  
• Seeking more of a spiritual connection and balance in my life
  
• Fiber becoming more important to my work
  
• Working more in 3-D encaustic sculpture
• Scientific exploration and research more important
  
• Blogging/documenting a larger part of my creative process
• Started teaching workshops in Encaustic Painting

So let's combine these together...

See my new (and improved?) About me page.

Updated my fancy purple hair picture too in case that natural color was throwing you off.

"Going outside to work!" I holler to my family as I tie up my purple hair and don my wax-covered apron. With encaustic wax melting on a palette in my studio/balcony space, I juggle birch panels, fiber creations and my digital camera as I head outside. Why? Because you need to see an enthusiastic mixed media and encaustic artist at work. And that is why I am here - to share my process with you.

Encaustic (molten beeswax, damar resin and pigment) is an ancient medium that has grown in popularity in contemporary art. It can be combined with mixed media, collage, wood, fiber, and be transformed into paintings and three-dimensional objects with a luminosity that any medium would envy.

Want to know more? Follow, subscribe to my blog, or my newsletter for all the waxy details. I occasionally teach encaustic workshops in San Diego, so do not miss your chance to fling some wax with me.

Fair warning: my blog is not ALL about waxy bliss. I share tips about social networking, art marketing, San Diego events and unique Calls for Artists. I blog about spiritual growth, community involvement and balance seeking. I write tutorials on art techniques and share my own and other artists' artwork and creative processes. I even blog about blogging and make stuff everyday... anything that gets the creative juices following. However, I cannot do all this without YOU!

So join me on this inspirational path as we find out why "Art making is a Journey."

Whew! Let's hope it is not another year before I update that again.

What do you think? ~ Jaime Lyerly

Celebrate Your Accomplishments for 2009

Picture of me stamping my travel journal at Himeji Castle in Japan.
To be able to go to Japan was a HUGE accomplishment; one that I still am not sure how to put into words.

Since it is finals week at SDSU, I am rushed to finish everything I started and study for those big tests. Yet, I already feel the tension and pressure lessening each time I turn in a project, take a test or finish a paper. College classes will be over in three days for me, and I am READY FOR A BREAK! I can finally focus on my art and enjoy life for a month before the madness of classes starts again at the end of January. Until then, let's talk about celebrating this year in a truly artistic way.

The Art Marketing action tip from the Art Biz Coach Alyson Stanfield this week is one that I am ready to start now and try to finish up by the end of the year.It is all about celebrating your accomplishments.

I am fond of bubbling to my friends, co-workers and other students about what I am doing now and my accomplishments. I have been know to jump up and down with excitement. I blog, twitter, post status updates on Facebook and pictures of work in progress on my fan page. Yet, I don't take time to celebrate my accomplishments for the year. I have made a huge jump this year into the art world, and know that is would be a great time to start writing my accomplishments down!

Check out this post (right click and open in a new tab).

Art Marketing Action Podcast: Celebrate Your Accomplishments

Posted using ShareThis

Here is the start of my accomplishment list for this year:

Started and maintained a blog
Got into my first juried show, Women's Caucus for Art "Herstory" at the Women's History Museum
Participated in the Women's Caucus for Art member invitation at Queen Bee's (formerly 8teen Art and Cultural Center)
Started in the world of social networking
Participated in the smARTist Telesummit 2009
Got hooked on the Art Biz Coach's blog and book, "I'd Rather Be in the Studio"
Featured article in SDSU's Daily Aztec
One of the featured artists in an article on Encaustic by America Creates
Participated in an Encaustic workshop at the San Diego Art Department
Participated in Artist Trading Card Workshop (ATC) at Escondido Municipal Gallery
Initiated into SDSU's Mortar Board Senior Honor Society
Won a scholarship from CSEA - GCCCD union employee scholarship
Won a scholarship from Mortar Board for outstanding community service
Won a scholarship from the Junko Koike for study abroad in Japan
Won a scholarship from Fu Foundation as the 2009 Fu Scholar for study abroad in China and Japan
Participated in a two week study abroad tour to China and Japan
Took Japanese I with Dr. Higurashi at SDSU (hardest academic class I have taken)
Took Beginning Woodworking and Furniture Design at SDSU with Wendy Maruyama (hardest studio class I have taken)
Took Handbuilt Ceramics with Joanne Hayakawa at SDSU
Took Figure Drawing with Jeanne Dunn at SDSU
Took Intermediate Sculpture with Richard Keely at SDSU
Took Figure Sculpture with Jesus Dominguez at Grossmont
Taught Beginning Encaustic Workshop at Escondido Municipal Gallery
Taught Encaustic Technique Workshop at the San Diego Women's Caucus for Art Annual Retreat
Learned more about and experimented with 3-D encaustic sculpture
Developed "micro-movement" type art projects called Art Actions
Visited Luis de Jesus Seminal Projects Gallery
Visited Escondido Municipal Gallery
Visited the Buddhist Center of San Diego for their annual Food and Music Festival
Participated in monthly San Diego Women's Drum Circle
Participated in Drumming and Movement Workshop (uncomfortable but made me grow)
Participated in Family Constellation Workshop (uncomfortable but made me grow)
Participated in the Stone Soup Challenge
Participated in a collaborative mail art project (tried and failed at this by holding everyone's pieces too long)
Started a mailing list (although I still haven't sent out any newsletters)
Investigated different art file management programs
Got a person art website (template) and actually put something on it!
Got more involved with the San Diego Women's Caucus for Art
Started blogging for the SD/WCA
Transitioning into being President of the SD/WCA for 2010
Re-joined the San Diego Writers Ink
Joined the International Sculpture Center
Joined the Encaustic Ning and Owning Pink Ning
Found awesome sites for growth and creativity Owning Pink and Journey Juju
Read more SARK online
Subscribed to Art News, Art in America, Works and Conversations and Sculptural Pursuit Magazines
Read and bought issues of Stampington Co: Somerset Workshop, Artful Blogging, Art Journaling, and Cloth, Paper, Scissors
Submitted art to Women Made Gallery juried show (did not get in)
Made an online tutorial/demo for Encaustic Monoprints
Made new business cards featuring my current art on them
Made connections (in person or online) with artists Lisa Bebi, Renee Richetts, Helen Redman, Gray Gray-Adams, Thea Haubrich, Lissa Rankin, Ellie Benfatti, Cynthia Morris, Lincoln Maynard and many more
Was able to honor artist/professor David Fobes at the Mortar Board Faculty/Staff Appreciation Dinner
Submitted art for the Featured Artist section of the National Women's Caucus for Art
Attended lecture by Janet Koplos (check out my essay "Redefining Craft" on this talk here)
Attended Visiting Artist talk by Tom Loeser
Attended Visiting Artist talk by Virginia Scotchie
Saw shows by SDSU student work
Saw SDSU gallery show "Animalkind"
Saw SDSU faculty show
Tried wood carving, stamp carving, watercolor crayons, assemblage, intuitive knitting, oil pastel over magazine collage, art journaling, encaustic on photographs, encaustic on 3-d forms, oil sticks, encaustic on board and fabric and working in plywood.
Wrote a blog post "100 Contemporary Artists you need to know, NOW"

and the single best thing to happen to my art career in 2009 is that it started! I am finally getting my work out for other people to see. I am still developing a solid portfolio, connections with others, and ways to show my art, but I got a firey start on this year by attending the online smARTist telesummit and reading the Art Biz articles and books.

Thank you to everyone who supported me in this fabulous year. It is never easy, but it takes each of you who helped me in some way with a kind word, a critique or an opportunity. I am looking forward to great next year with a much longer list of accomplishments!

Your Turn:

What is your list? This is what I could think of in a hour. I could probably do more over time. A year goes by very fast (and seems to get faster as we age), but what are your accomplishments. Post a comment here to let us know or just spill it into your journal or blog post. Either way, make sure you honor your busy year with a toast to your attempts and successes!

Happy art making! Enjoy your holidays! ~ Jaime Lyerly