Tucson 2013

My kids and I spent Feb. 13-20, 2013 in Tucson visiting my mom and dad at their winter home.

Here is Dad (age 97.5) at the gym on Fri. Feb. 15:

Shortly before we left for Tucson my teacher, Dion Dior, sent me a lovely gift in the mail and asked me to find some time to create while I was away:

During our visit I was working on a sketch of a succulent using the Angora Watercolors and Stillman and Burn sketchbook from Dion. My mom, who is an amazing artist, sat down to help me after critiquing the piece and noting that it was "flat". She and I ended up finishing the piece together. She would work on it for a bit and then I would take over and back and forth we went for over an hour. I'm so grateful for her insight on how to give the piece more depth and even more excited to have our two signatures together:

I have to share...After Dad turned 90, Mom and Dad started to spend their winters in Tucson. Dad's doctor decided that Northeastern winters are just too much for his heart. Normally, during their winter get-a-way my mom will take art classes at the Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson, but this year she chose not to take any classes. Dad had a heart attack last August, just one week before his birthday and mom decided it was more important to focus on his health and well-being rather than take time to go to her art classes. It was nice to see her light up when she helped me with this piece. She has such a gift and I'm glad I can say I got a small piece of her artistic gene pool.

Creative Control

I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes May 21, 1972 and for as long as I can remember I have been creative. I use my art as a means to calm myself and stay focused. So, a few years back I came to refer to my life as "Creatively Controlled Chaos". Creative is my art and Chaos is my diabetes. But, sometimes, they flip on me and I find ways to Creatively Control my diabetes and my art becomes Controlled Chaos.

Quite often both are simply chaotic. 

These four pieces were created a few months ago when both my art and my blood sugars were simply controlled.

 

People With Diabetes Can Eat Anything

A few years back I reconnected with a friend I'd met at the Clara Barton Camp for girls with Diabetes. Jane Dickinson had been a counselor and I was a CIT (counselor-in-training) when we met back in the 80's. I had not seen or heard from Jane for over 20 years until I reconnected with her via the DOC - Diabetes Online Community. The reunion was wonderful. 

Through many communications online and on the phone Jane told me she was writing a book about diabetes. Jane says "It’s a book about living well with diabetes, and it’s about strength. The book is for people who have diabetes – from the newly diagnosed to veterans – and for those without. It’s for caregivers and health care professionals, too." 

I was very honored when Jane asked me to design the cover of her book and now I am very pleased to announce that the book is available for sale.

   

You can learn more about Jane and her book here.