time to prepare for my trip out west.............

I started putting together information and my traveling art kit together.  I have spent over an hour in research about the continuing education programs and exhibit hall presenters for the APGA May 2013 conference in Phoenix.  Dressing for this climate is a challenge ...Ken said it was a dry heat of 100 degrees this afternoon.  But the wide deep skies and brilliant colors of the desert will be observed early in the mornings and late at the sunsets.  I am planning on using this time as a retreat...standing still...listening ...becoming a changing agent... creating restorative healing spaces in nature for all ages to enjoy and protect.  The garden tours are spiced in the week's schedules so I hope to be able to soak up the information and visual clues to improve my understanding of these sustainable sites.  The Heard Museum is offering several tours and the Sonora Desert tours appear to offer a couple programs that any artist ...especially one from the mid west would relish.  Learning to look and design for beauty ...healing spaces that offer a place of solace in our very busy chaotic schedules we often set for ourselves.

Cole was working on his color assignments...before getting ready for a birthday party.

 My Mother's Day dinner over at Brios...the specila was my favorite...scallops.

 At Easton we stopped by The Shop OHIO store...and guess who was all out of caramels???  Erin is getting her new space up and ready to open for June first.

 This was a playful beginning of a watercolor for the inside of a sympathy card..........

 Averi brought in her friend and i tried to advise them on a collage project they are working on...

 Two small cards...hopefully tomorrow I will put them in the mail as a visual hug...life gets tough at times.

This week long journey offers something for everyone to see and process.   This means I will be away from my computer...a respite for me...to return to working with my pencils, watercolors, and paper ...a beautiful new sketchbook with numerous colorful envelopes to collect my "evidence".  I plan on taking many photos ...as if you could not have guessed. Have a great week in your studios.  Peace,  Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart