Ah, summer is almost here. So close, yet so far!

At the gallery, I'm in the last throes of getting the summer exhibition set up, which is a bit challenging without the helpful installation elves (my grad assistants). However, there's a cadre of volunteers from local arts groups set to help hang artwork early next week. This week will be a marathon - Tuesday and Wednesday we set up the show, Thursday I go on the local public radio station to pitch the show, following by a meeting regarding another event for next academic year, then I hop in the car to drive to Portsmouth, Ohio to drop off my work and others for the regional juried exhibition Cream of the Crop. Friday is the last day to finish up the gallery show, and then an arts writer from the Lex Herald-Leader shows up in the afternoon to review, Saturday is the opening and award reception, and then, whoo, on Sunday @ 4:00 a.m., hop in the car and drive to the N. KY airport to fly up to Milwaukee for the Americans for the Arts conference. Thankfully, much bar hopping and frolicking in the evening hours of the con to look forward to....

On the workshop end, the one-dayer in the 'Head went well, and I have another coming up in Mt. Sterling on Thursday, June 22. I am set to teach at the Society for Contemporary Craft in Pittsburgh October 21 and 22, and am currently in communication with the Craft Alliance in St. Louis for a workshop in the fall there. Both places should be fun, especially since I have friends in both locales and can mix bid-ness with pleasure. Other upcoming workshops include Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft's Blackacre arts camp for middle school kids in July, and another one-dayer with them (for adults) in January. I'll be doing two one-dayers just south of Indianapolis in August through an historical society/museum, which should be fun. The Museum of AQS e-mailed on Sunday re: a possible workshop - I've (shamefully) never been to Paducah, and would enjoy seeing the town. In the spring I'm doing another one like this, and in the summer (2007) have a week long educator's workshop where I'm working with a writer, so besides submitting another proposal to hopefully teach at Miami University's CraftSummer as prior, I'm laying off the workshop proposals.

Just writing that making me want to scream, when am I going to make art? Life's been nuts, but I did finish the "Axis Mundi" piece from the Self-Medication series (photos soon coming on web site) and have started a piece called "All About Eve" from the Breaking Up Is Hard To Do series. I do enjoy working in series, and they keep me focused. The Self-Medication and Breaking Up series are the two I'll probably focus on through at least this year and possibly next.

Exhibitions: I have a piece at the Museum of the American Quilter's Society, and one in the National Prize 2006 show. Soon I'll be sending off "Two Gothic Vessels" to the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft. "The Battle of the Sexes" will be in a show in Cincy called "Quilts for Change". Including Portsmouth, I have three exhibition entries in the hopper. That's a good number for me; at $15 - $25 a pop, it gets expensive.

I haven't heard back from the Kentucky Foundation for Women "Art Meets Activism" grant review yet, but am hopeful.

Because of a great void of interest and that I have a laptop, I am now an Officer (secretary) of the Kentucky Guild of Artists and Craftsmen. The weekend before last was spent on ticket gate duty at their annual Spring Fair, and it was fun meeting fellow members and spending some much needed time in the sun (my cellar office doesn't really allow much vitamin D). Also, will be involved on the review panel for the Visual Arts at the Market, managed by Kentucky Crafted, an organization within the Kentucky Arts Council. I love being a juror - it's my job, without the work.

Oh, and in case you're wondering, today.....drumroll please.......I finally got the UK check. Amazing! It's a blessing, really, since now I'm not as panicked about costs re: the AFTA con this coming weekend.

Off to hang the show.......