Friday, March 21, 2008

Shifting Gears...

Well.... a little update as to why I have not been blogging or posting any new work in awhile. I'm in the process of selling my fiber shop The Rookery, and if all goes well I should be handing over the keys on March 31st. People keep asking me if this is a good thing- yes yes yes!!! As much as I love the fiber shop and all the wonderful people who pass through its doors, I am ready to focus on full time art production. Spinning, felting, mixed media art, journaling...

With 2 small kids in grade school, running a retail business is becoming more of a challenge as they get older. Trying to stay on top of homework and find time for after school activities competes with running the shop- and having to have my kids at work with me after school everyday sucks all the way around. No fun trying to help a customer while you're prying your 5 year old son off his older sister as he tries to claw her eyes out for verbally taunting him.

In order that my children do not grow up hating me for keeping them imprisoned in a yarn store for their entire childhood, and so that I can make more time for what I really love, I'm giving up retail and will focus on studio work. Well, its actually more like closet work at the moment. My art room is a closet which my friend Liz thinks is really funny for some reason. Hey, you've got to work with what you've got. I will have a real studio though when our house is finished in about a year and hope to hold workshops. I've talked with Lexi about hosting Camp Pluckyfluff in July 2009 in my new studio- so anyone intrested in hanging with Lexi and I for a workshop weekend should visit www.pluckyfluff.com and email Lexi that you're intrested. If you've ever wanted to travel to Alaska this could be your excuse! Or if you live on the mainland and want to visit Kodiak Island for a weekend...