Where did the year go??

Fleckie

There is NO WAY that Kevin's birthday is next week and we're already into the middle of February.  Time is flying by so fast that I can't believe I haven't posted even once since my mom left.... revealing my secret about her stay!  Lots has happened between that time and now, but yet NOTHING has, too! That's what I mean about TIME FLYING! I cannot imagine having a child and watching them GROW UP right before my eyes.  I was reading a friend's blog a minute ago and she was saying that her baby boy L, whom it seems like she just had him, is WALKING now!  Another member in our guild has a little girl, too, and I've been watching her develop into a "little lady" already... from being the "cutest baby in the world". She's walking too!

Vestal

 Most of my days are filled with Capital City Scribes administrative duties. The end of last month took me to San Antonio to represent the guild as president for the Southwest Calligraphy Conference which is held annually for two days at the end of January.  Each year, nine regional guilds send their representatives (President and Workshop chairperson) to discuss the pros and cons they have experienced in the past year. It was founded 30 years ago and so much information and benefits have flowed into each guild since then.  We help each other find ways to overcome challenges we are facing at the time and share information about ways to progress each guild to its fullest capacity.  The smallest guild represented there was New Orleans.  They have had a hard time after Katrina and have never fully recovered.  Their small guild is trying to grow and I hope that giving them the "social network" details which our guild is using will enable them to be the growing guild they wish to be.

Bela

I haven't been as creative in my studio as I had hoped to be in the last few months, or actually since I took on the presidency, but that's ok... I feel that sometimes, you just have to put your "service" in and you will reap ten fold.  It's not always about "what you are going to get out of something", but rather... what can I GIVE to society and others.  It certainly is a service, but it's also been quite a challenge that has taught me many things in life.  I have grown as a person and found out that I am a lot stronger than I already thought I was.  There are sacrifices to be made with any endeavor as large as this one...and balancing them as best as you can is the ultimate key.   I have managed to get through obstacles with my health, dealing with the new issues of diabetes, and still keep a close watch on the daily things in my life which eats up so much time.   I can't say that I won't be happy when my term is up... only because I feel like I have spent too much time away from my honey, who has been so supportive and understanding through it all.  But, I know when it's over, I will miss the challenge of leadership and reaching the goals I set out to achieve while in this position. I hope to meet the goals I set for myself and the guild when I am done in May, and I most certainly will make some new, personal ones as well as more with my continued commitment to Capital City Scribes...which is my passion. I never imagined that I would be president in any organization, but it only seemed like a natural progression to lead my group when I was needed.

One of my pieces...still in progress

My Exhibit Piece

I was able to take a workshop with a calligrapher/artist from Belgium a couple of weekends ago. He taught "Gestural Lettering" and "Experimental Layout and Design".  I liked some aspects of the layout class, which is the only one I took (for two days), but I think I am more of a traditionalist who wants to express my art/calligraphy with the actual lettering and not just abstract marks on a paper which may (or may not) evoke some sort of emotion from the viewer.  I wish to steer people in the direction I intend (being the "control freak" I think I am) without them having to second guess or read my mind.  Yves Leterme didn't see things that way, but I just decided silently to "agree to disagree". To each his own, right!?  Some beautiful works came out of that workshop, though, and I am starting to like some of the ones I created, too, although at first I was disgusted with pretty much everything I did and "covered them all up with white gesso so you couldn't see anything but a peek or two of what lay underneath.  Making marks on a paper is one thing, but to figure out how to "lead your audience" is another.  I have a lot to learn!   Our guild is exhibiting this month 16 hand calligraphed pieces in our exhibit called "Black, White and Re(a)d All Over" and I submitted a piece in that showcase.  The quote in white, on black paper with some accents of red was this:  "Prayer... the ultimate wireless connection"

I just wanted to mention that my three girls are the Glee in my daily life.  I adore them and they do me. I have a saying in my kitchen that reads: "I can only hope to be as great a person as my dogs think I am".  It is so true and what more could a person strive for?  That's all for now. Till next time, which hopefully, will be sooner, than later. Blessings to you.