Last week I shared a quote from Ali Abdaal”s book “Feel Good Productivity” regarding the energizing benefits of play. After finishing that post I headed off to the Recreation Center to play Pickleball. I have come to love the game and the personal connections with the group. I don’t really care if I win or […]

I picked up Ali Abdaal’s book “Feel Good Productivity. How to do More of What Matters to You” at the beginning of the year. I was immediately hooked on this book. He breaks the book into three sections: Energize, Unblock, and Sustain. I’m sure over time as I re-read this book to dive more into […]

I had a beautiful experience visiting the Giants Forest at the Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest over the weekend with Al. We meet two young girls visiting with their Grandmother. We visited as we walked toward the Giants trail. Al and I got a bit ahead of them as we crossed the bridge to see […]

I once had a friend trained in Feng Shui that introduced to me to the saying, “A New Broom Sweeps Clean”…..she didn’t tell me the rest of the quote….”but an old broom knows the corners”. Often my Feng is in the Shui….in other words…we can get in our own way. Fall is a reflective time […]

I began learning to knit almost two years ago and have continued to take more classes along the way. I just completed a sock knitting class! I have one complete and vow not to get “second sock syndrome”….when you don’t finish the second sock! I find knitting so much fun….it’s a process just like mosaics….one […]

I graduated from Western Kentucky University in 1981. I was living in Park City, Kentucky and took a job at a denim sewing factory in Cave City for the summer until my teaching job started in the fall. These ladies at the factory would tape their fingers to keep the denim from wearing blisters as […]

It all started in April……the design development for my outdoor shower. Then as things go…..I put it down and moved on to other things. And…..now I’ve spent the last week working on tying the work that has started on the back wall at the Bell Buckle Mosaic House in with the shower wall. This piece […]

As a former visual arts instructor with Metro Nashville Public Schools, I am conditioned to find ways to stretch a budget for materials. When I see a use for something beyond its intended purpose, I find it hard to discard. Folks would leave broken dishes and other items on my front porch when I lived […]

I hope we are beyond the 90 degree high temp days here in middle Tennessee.   My work outside this summer has been limited by the extremely hot temperatures.  It wouldn’t hurt the materials to work in this heat but it’s just not fun for me and I am a warm weather gal!  So I […]

My step daughter, Ashlie, was a tall girl! Flamingos were her totem. A reminder to Stand Tall! Ashlie was one of my cheerleaders. She was an artist herself and an art teacher in Key West. She was one of my biggest supporters following John’s passing. It’s was a crushing blow to loose her way too […]

John, My First Child Some of us are born with strong creative genes. Both of my boys are creative in their own ways. John got the artist genes from both sides. From and early age, we encouraged his creativity. In his teen years, he was inspired by graffiti and began doing his own exploration. One […]

I had some guests scheduled to visit the BBMH this past week.  We’d texted several times to coordinate and set it up.  Then, the message, there had been a death in the family and we would have to reschedule.  This had me reflecting once again on the Joseph Campbell quote over the door here at […]

The quote above the front door at the Bell Buckle Mosaic House from Joseph Campbell is: “We cannot cure the world of sorrow, But we can choose to live in Joy.” Twenty years ago I was carving styrofoam (working in a process taught by Sherri Warner Hunter) to create my on forms on which to […]

The mission of the Bell Buckle Mosaic House is to Build Community Through Creativity.  How do we do that?  We believe art can connect us to our common humanity and ourselves.  Creative participation can nurture a sense of togetherness.  Creative challenges can build intercultural and inter-generational connections.  We want to elevate the artist community and […]

Can you believe we are half way through the year!?  Well, here we are in July. The garden is popping as have been the summer storms lately.  The zinnias, daylilies and bee balm are offering up new blooms daily.  After focusing my efforts on completing the mosaic facade, I’ve been able to get back to […]

Little did I know eleven years ago when I found my BIG studio in Bell Buckle, it would ultimately become my largest work.  I was drawn to the space for the possibilities a large workspace would provide and I was already fond of the community. I spent the first few years at the studio in […]