Drawings Populate Studio Walls

On the first days home from the Wood Fire Conference in Illinois, drawings begin to populate the studio walls. The last sweet carrots are harvested from the cold soil to become salads, stews and juice. A bouquet of not yet frozen flowers from the garden fill a vase by the upstairs window and succulent remnants of Jack Troy’s kumquat poem that he recited during his conference presentation linger in the snowy air. The woodfire conference has left me with lots to digest. It is hard to put ourselves and our work out there. I am touched by the courage of the presenters for doing that, and the implied action that I pose similar challenges to myself and my work. My notes from Chris Gustin’s closing talk finish with “Embrace the discomfort.” As I re-enter my studio, it is with a plethora of unknowns—both discomfort and potential of taking risks in my daily work. Very grateful to the Alex Combs Award for funding my experience, and that winter is coming, which means days in my studio to reflect on questions I came home with.