Moving On

SEPTEMBER 2011 - Fortunately we were able to salvage a great deal out of the house that night. When the fire chief let us go back in, I started pulling art off the walls and handing it to friends & neighbors to get it out of the house! No AC and lots of moisture is very bad for artwork!! Our neighbors across the street allowed us to use their dining room and we stacked all the artwork there for safekeeping. Hubby's job was to get all the paperwork & other pertinent items that we would need right away. Our insurance adjustor just happened to live the next street over and was there before the fire department left. He was a big help in guiding us through the next few steps - finding a dog friendly hotel for the next few days, putting in a request for interim living expenses, etc. We pulled together a few clothes & papers, some toiletries, & left for the night. Fortunately, the doors could be locked and no windows were broken. All through the night the police department assigned extra patrols along with the fire department checking several times to make sure the fire was truly out. OCTOBER 2012 - One of my new art directions has been hand dyed silk. Silk has such a wonderful sheen and feel. It has a reputation for being difficult to handle but I love a challenge! This is a mixed media piece that incorporates hand dyed silk, quilting, stamping & free form embossed paper & beading. The title - QUIET MORNING

The Aftermath - Rebirth

This past year has been one of many changes. Our house was struck by lightning last September. Fortunately, I had just arrived home and was able to call 911 and get the dog out. By the time the fire department arrived smoke was pouring out of the soffits but no flames through the roof. Just how close we came to losing everything was very apparent when the shingles were removed. Gaping holes where the decking was burned away made it obvious that the fire was only moments away from breaching through the shingles & taking the whole thing down to the ground! Fortunately, there was a lot left to salvage after the fire was out. But that is not a story I want to tell today. What would you do if all of your artwork suddenly disappeared? How would you cope? What steps would you take to get started again? Would losing it all make you want to do things differently? The imagery of a phoenix rising from ashes became all too real in one thunderbolt!