[L, diary, ephēmeris] 1) BLOG

"Hi Diane,
I recently came across this flier that I'd sent to my good friend Gordy, an artist in Santa Fe '93...my first Art Show with my 5'x3' tie dye paintings, and wrote:

  "My (13 mos older) Sister, Diane 22, made the flyer for me, with those audacious declarations!
  She was a Graphic Design Artist living in the "Art Heart" of San Francisco..."Haight-Ashbury"  Good times in the late  '60's Hippie Days. She was My inspiration....to be a professional Artist!
  She made a sign for a popular Restaurant on Haight Street with weathered 2x6x8 planks & the letters were raised nail heads...I was inspired....and vowed that I too, would make money with my Art!!!

Mostly, She inspired me,
because She was so confident & audacious!!"

All three of my younger sisters are artists of different mediums, and though I've been lax about adding Debra & Denise's work to the Co-Artist's tab, Donalie's sculptures are, along with her twin daughter's work.

This morning I read valuable advice from Nick Wignall's weekly newsletter and decided to add this blog post even if immediately on the heels of the previous one.  Why? Because I read his essay on being less self-critical and decided to bask in a bit of sisterly mutual admiration.

I had forgotten I'd created that poster for my sister's first art show but I remember her insistence that I participate in a group art show, which I did (my first and only; I'd stopped making etchings when we began building our boat, Pilar), but now cannot proudly post the one photograph of the event.

No matter. Here's the nail-sculpture sketch and finished project that Donalie referred to:

It is healing to be reminded of past accomplishments.

Fifteen years ago, I began this website for that very reason: my husband of thirty-four years had just died; I needed to see who I had been before there was a 'we' that was no longer. Eighteen months ago, my daughter died unexpectedly just before her fifty-third birthday. Grief and regrets, self-recriminations for the loss of a future together have dampened self-confidence...until now. 

THANK YOU, Donalie and Nick Wignal for the love and the great advice!