Divorce may be easy to obtain, but it wasn’t always that way. In 1979, Michigan’s law stated that a couple needed to wait a year before obtaining a divorce. Why? Because even the state recognized that everyone benefited when families stayed together. Plus, divorce always incurs a cost, though I’m not talking about dollars. A…
Military families tie yellow ribbons around trees to welcome soldiers returning home. Continuing this tradition as a veteran’s wife, a military mom, and an artist, I designed the art exhibit Yellow Ribbon, which expanded into additional veteran art workshops for artists and non-artists, sponsored by Kent County Veterans Services. Because of the veteran’s invisible battles…
Monarch butterflies contribute to the health of our planet by pollinating many types of wildflowers. But in order to survive the harsh winters, the monarch butterflies migrate from Canada to Mexico and back to Canada; it may take up to six generations for butterflies to complete the 6000 mile round trip. Once the butterflies reach…
Every year, monarch butterflies embark on a dangerous, 3000 mile journey from Canada to Mexico. Somehow, millions of delicate butterflies successfully complete the dangerous trip in spite of severe weather, pesticides, and habitat loss. The butterflies ride the air currents about 50 to 100 miles a day on the two month trip in order to…
Healing in Arts 2021 Through my art, I’m on a healing journey with the audience. Art provides another way to resolve our inner conflicts. My work—as an artist without borders—extends outside the usual boundary lines of working through a gallery or an agent, as I create hands-on projects that focus on creative care. Somehow, God…
My dear friend, Priscilla, lives across the country from me. But sometimes, we exercise “together”—via headsets and smartphones—while she walks her pup in her neighborhood on the East Coast, and I amble through my neighborhood in the Midwest. Recently, while talking on one of our walks, Priscilla texted me one of her first watercolor drawings…
Awakening inspires forgiveness. The healing art provides a tangible way to let go of a past hurt, regardless of whether or not the situation has ever been reconciled. Forgiveness does not mean what happened is OK; it means letting go of your anger or resentment. For this particular art project with the incarcerated teens from…