To me, studio play is when I get to experiment and discover new ways to use products and processes. I will usually collect inspiration images either from social media, magazines, different products I would like to try, wallpapers, fabrics, or even nature. Inspiration could really take the form of anything that triggers an idea.

It’s that time of year again! Time to set goals, make resolutions, and evaluate things in your life. For most of us, 2021 was much like 2020. We did have glimpses of normalcy with kids returning to school, some travel bans lifted, the vaccine being widely available, but not all has returned to the “before times.” And as we emerge from the holiday season, we have spikes in case numbers, and more uncertainty as we go back to work and school. I hope that all of us can find some positivity in our collective situation and joy in our lives.

There are some great memes out there that encapsulate the cycle of doubt for an artist. When starting a project, you have this feeling of “this is awesome, I am awesome!” As you get deeper in, the feeling changes to “why did I think this was a good idea? Why am I even attempting this? It sucks! I suck.”

This year’s Salon was held in St. Louis, Missouri and was much smaller due to the Covid-19 pandemic which limited international travel. You may remember, I have attended Salon before in 2019 when it was held in Chamonix, France. Many of our American members elected to attend to support this year’s host as well as carry on the tradition of Salon. Last year’s Salon was supposed to be held in Shanghai but was canceled at the onset of the pandemic.