My ankle - Christmas 2009

Oh - we often forget how important the human body is. We go out each day accomplishing tasks we want to accomplish - big or small - without a second thought to all that it takes to get us there. This experience is teaching me some important lessons.

I broke my ankle on Christmas Day. Two bones, one on the inside and one on the outside were broken, and one of those bones was broken in two places. Surgery is scheduled for this coming Monday. Rehabilitation will start soon after. More than any other time in my life - I must listen to my body for I am not in control, but my body is now, and I must follow its lead.

What does this mean for me?
What will my life be like over the next couple of months, accomplishing only half or less of what I typically accomplish?
Can I learn how to rest?
How will my sedentary lifestyle affect me, emotionally, spiritually, creatively?
How will this change me in the future?

only time will tell......

My Christmas gift...I am humbled.

Thank you for taking the time to look at my blog. As you can see I have had an accident. On Christmas Day while delivering a Christmas Basket to a Senior Citizen's Home I slipped on the ice and broke my ankle. Two bones broken, one bone broke twice. Fortunately I was not alone - but with my boyfriend who lifted me up and held me while I hopped on one leg to get to my car. I see an Orthopedic Physician this next week to find out what my next steps are.

Life is very strange. Not only will my situation will be different for me physically - as I have to use crutches everywhere I go - but it will be a change for me intellectually, emotionally, artistically and even spiritually. For those that know me, they might compare me to the "Ever-Ready Bunny" as I have always been a very active woman and rarely sit down for long during a typical day.

Who knows what the future holds and how it will affect me? I know I will have my moments - but for the most part, I feel curious, motivated, and even relieved because my choices will be temporally limited to a great extent. When my choices are limited, I get even that much more creative....

Special pieces created in 2009.

Still having fun - cutting and breaking glass in my renovated studio/school bus and living a full artful life...I am so blessed. The photo entries below capture some of my favorite pieces that I created this past year. Since leaving the In Your Eye Gallery in April of 2009 - I have had the opportunity to be invited into several other artful events. The UK/OK Exhibit, Firehouse Art Gallery, Adelante Gallery, Oklahoma Arts Festival, Price Tower Museum Gift Store, St. Benedict Street Market, including several private commissions. Life is good! An original piece entered into the "2009 Container Show" in Paseo.

This piece was called, "Legs That Hold". On the other side of this piece I incorporated the two legs left over from the doll I had used earlier this year.

Some special pieces I remember...

My "Spirit of the West Show" - April 2009
" Pawnee Belle" - still for sale!

A small sunflower design. Private commission.

"Thick Woods" - sold.

Yes - I am still making angels and they sell well. This was a private commission.

Some special pieces created this year...

Remember the doll with the glass dress? (sold)
The sunflowers sold like crazy....

Small abstract - for sale.

A close-up photo. I intend to have cards and postcards made of my work this year.

That way - the image can still live on....

Some additional favorites...from this past year...

A private commission done, inspiration was their favorite quarter horse that had just retired from racing.
Private commission - Frank Lloyd Wright inspired.

My glass Christmas tree and all the glass Christmas boxes...private commission.

"Make Love not War"....sold.

Took the broken body - came from Estes Park, Co. and built the rest of her.

Remembering some special pieces created this past year.....

An angel made from broken antique plates...and traditional pastel pink glass.

Two abstract Western Landscape glass panels. (for sale) Harness and geodes go with the piece.

"Yellow Flower Maze" (private commission)

" My Big Buffalo" (for sale)

Three places to visit and view exceptional art:

This is the owner/operator/manager and artist, Cynthia Wolf and myself standing near some of my glass art. The picture above shows the abstract glass eagle feathers. I created two Abstract Western Landscape glass pieces to hang in her Cowboy Christmas Art show. These two panels are for sale. The entire Cowboy Christmas display of art will conclude at the end of December.
Her gallery website is: www.cynthiadanielwolf.com


Firehouse Art Center, Norman, Ok. Several feathers and angels of mine are hanging on their gallery Christmas Tree this year. These can be shipped from their location anywhere. The Firehouse will have a second Christmas Art opening this coming Friday night in Norman, Ok. . The ornaments make great small gifts.

Remember the juried UK/OK Exhibit which opened this past summer in August at the Price Tower Art Center? This exhibit is still open - but soon closes after the new year. Another exhibit will be on display. Three glass portraits of mine were accepted into this high-end craft exhibit, Scott Perkins, Art Curator.

Just google or click on the website to the right of this screen.

Firehouse Art Gallery - Christmas Show

Here are a few angels that were left. They looked even more angelic hanging within the snowy branches on the tree - don't you think? While attending college at the University of Oklahoma I remember my sister Kaye and I stopping by here to see the original and affordable art to purchase for Christmas. It was always a unique event as I remember walking away with something very special and handmade. Now - almost over twenty years later I am standing here in the gallery where my glass art is displayed on their special tree.
Who knows what the future holds ????? - "Unlimited Potential"......

More flowers and "me"..standing near their tree.

I liked all the pieces I had submitted. My mom helped me label all of the pieces. Her handwriting was so nice - it looked like calligraphy. The gallery has sold out of all my green angels, and the day I visited, they said they had sold three more...so...I become a Christmas elf over the next few days to make another delivery on Tuesday of this next week.

Glass Feathers & Flower hanging in the Firehouse Art Gallery Christmas Tree

In October my mother and I delivered a big inventory of these small glass ornaments to the Firehouse Art Gallery, in Norman, Oklahoma. My parents returned again later to deliver another order. I was able to see what the end result looked like and was so impressed. All of various ornaments looked pretty on the tree and seeing them there inspired me to create other shapes/designs for ornaments. This was my first time to be in their Gallery Christmas show.

A New Mexico Thanksgiving

Thank you for taking the time to visit my art blog which documents my artful life.

This past Thanksgiving, my boyfriend and I went to New Mexico. I visited several galleries of course and even visited with a few gallery owners about the glass art I create. Even though those visits fed my artful spirit - the hike to Williams Lake on Thanksgiving Day fed the part of me that loves nature and longs to be in its beautiful surroundings. We chose an eight mile hike up into the Kit Carson National Park...climbing a high mountain north of the Taos Valley Ski Lodge. This trail led us to a now-frozen lake called "Williams Lake". More than half of those eight miles were uphill, trudging through winding hills in the snow. We met a handful of people - complete strangers who we wished well.

I can't tell you how beautiful and serene this place was for us on such a special day. Below are some photos and a few videos I took while we hiked. Following - some more photos of basically anything that peaked my interest while in this land of enchantment.

Enjoy!

Videos during the hike...click on the big arrow to start the video...

What fun we had - a great workout - and no extra calories taken in for Thanksgiving!

Laughing at the top of the mountain.

I wish I had walked down to the lake...but we were pretty tired by the time we had made it there. We also did not want to walk back down the trail in the dark.

The lake doesn't look far - but if you look closely to the left edge - you can see a black spot. That spot was a family of five, one man and four kids hanging out near the lake's edge. I guess I will have to come back in the spring and visit the edge of the lake at that time.

Videos taken during our hike....

Stopping for a breather - having fun along the way.

We made it to the top.

One of the hikers behind us helped to take this photo. We felt so good to have been able to make the hike. I will be hiking more trails from here on out. Although it was challenging at times...I am ready to go hike another mountain.
You can see the frozen lake below from where this photo was taken.

A part of the trail where it had opened up. The sun was so bright here, the snow so clean, white, and untouched.

The side view of a large log that had fallen.

Another beautiful view.

Bottom of a big log that had fallen...

This was right near our trail.....
A cabin built way high up in the mountains.
Part of the road we walked up to get to the beginning of the trail.

One of the smaller cabins we walked by.

I liked this one. It was very small. I could see in the window and it looked as if the beds and kitchen table we all in one room. I think I could live there for about a month. Hidden deep - high up in the mountains. I think I would feel safe there!