hello hello!

I’ve been remiss in not writing for months and have lots to tell you about. I’ll start with the most current news and then tell you about my summer.

I’m part of the inaugural A2 studio tour - a group of artists having studios tour on Saturday November 8 and Sunday November 9 - from 11am to 5pm both days. I haven’t opened my studio since I moved almost 3 years ago so it’s high time. I’ll have paintings, prints, a few silk scarves and some mixed media assemblages - and of course snacks. I hope you’ll stop by and say hello! You can learn more and download the map here.

Also I’m in a the group show about climate issues at the UM Medical Research Gallery - Consequences.

I’ve received a grant from the Puffin Foundation in support of my Michigan ecology project From the Forest for the Trees. This project will result in a show of prints at the Matthai Botanical Gardens gallery in May and a yet to be scheduled installation based exhibition - watch this space for more information… The prints are direct cyanotypes and encaustic monotypes from keystone tree species with the support of the wonderful staff at the gardens.

This summer I spent a couple weeks in the Upper Peninsula at the Visitor Center Art Camp where I was able to explore the techniques I’m using for the ecology project. I met a stellar group of artists there and had a fabulous time camping and making work in a studio I set up in my screen tent. This is a lovely residency if you like to camp. They do wonderful wild clay teaching and also support independent artist projects.

And more recently I spent 10 days in Colorado attending a field trip to the San Luis Valley followed by attending the Society for Ecological Restoration annual conference. Both chunks gave me a lot to think about and will build on the Dust on Snow project that I’ve been working on with the Wright Ingraham Institute.

And perhaps most exciting of all - I’m going to Antarctica in February. Lots more about that in a future edition. For now I’ll end with that and hope to see you in November at my open studio.

warmly-

Leslie