Happy 2020 to all of you MilspoFAN artists! I hope you had a chance to step back and relax a little over the holidays (as I had to make the conscious decision to do). Now that it’s back to the mid-January grind, it’s also that time to reflect on the past year and plans for the year to come. Personally, I found myself thinking a lot about one of the major decisions I made at almost exactly this same time last year: my decision to rent an art studio outside of the home. For anyone thinking of taking a similar leap this year, I hope these musings on the pros, cons, and expectations versus realities might give you a little added perspective in your own decision-making process.

I just got back from a month-long residency at Jentel Arts Foundation in Banner, Wyoming in November. Artist residencies are kind of like art camp for adults. Usually you get paid (a little), they put you up, give you studio space to create and sometimes even feed you.

I have continued singing at church but that's about it.  Nothing terribly exciting on the music front. Last year my eldest was diagnosed on the autism spectrum last year making for lots of doctors, evaluations, med appointments etc.  This made for an extremely stressful year on top of going back to work full time.  It was a rough year, to say the least.  But thank goodness for therapies, doctors and medicine we have her on the right track and she is blooming wonderfully. 

This year has been a fun and wild ride! We found out last December that we were expecting! Shortly after, I began suffering from EXTREME morning sickness and by March was formally diagnosed with Hyperemisis. I thankfully was able to continue teaching, thanks to my sweet, patient and understanding students and coworkers. The Army kept my husband away for most of the pregnancy but we were able to have 10 days of uninterrupted leave together right before baby.

I began 2019 by staying in line with my daily poem (or at least editing some poems). I like to keep a steady routine because my mind feels more open and the ideas looser. When I know I’ll be writing, something gets put on the page. Sometimes it’s a keeper; sometimes it goes to the poetry graveyard.

My year has been full of unexpected coincidences...the first of which took place in a Harris Teeter (grocery store) parking lot.  I was walking to my car when I noticed a gold star on the back of a van.  For anyone that doesn’t know the gold star indicates that an immediate family member has been killed in the line of duty.  I thought to myself, I wish the person who owns this car would come out so I could express my sorrow for their loss.

Since I last shared with MilSpouse Fine Arts Network, we have had so many changes. We moved our family from North Carolina to New Mexico, which has been a big adjustment. We really enjoy New Mexico: good food, good skiing, and day spas are in abundance. Our little ones took quite a bit of time adjusting, however. It has been a few months and now they seem to be getting into the normal swing of things.

It was surreal. I was overwhelmed with the wide-open spaces and the overflowing stores. I returned to Spain even more appreciative of the lifestyle we have here, and the opportunities for intercultural exchange.

I have successfully taught Voice, Acting & The Business of the Arts at Strike It Up Artistic Center for the last year and have helped aspiring singers/actors develop their skills for auditions, competitions, college theatre programs and even how to navigate the business when you're just starting out as a performer.

My first visit to France was as a young Navy wife back in 1988 or 89 as a young J.O.'s wife. There were several of us going over to meet up with our husband's submarine where it was pulling into Brest, France. In the passing years, I've made it back over there 4 times. But this past summer was the best experience I've ever had in my life. I was there for the whole month of June, teaching two back to back art workshops.

Since my interview in June 2017 I have unfortunately traveled a lot less. It's so much harder and more expensive in and from the US than Europe, but I try to do local or regional events as they come up, and get out of town if even for a local "stay-cation" for a day or two. I did that this weekend in Colonial Williamsburg, actually.

We are in the process of PCSing back to the States after just under three amazing years in Spain. Here in Spain, I have been able to fulfill my three professional goals I have set for myself when we got here. I have studied bulerias, I have bought a bata de cola (the long skirt we dance with) and I have performed in Spain. Of course, to be a flamenco dancer stationed in Spain seems like a special gift from the Navy Gods That Be.

Well, the book I’ve been gestating is 3.867% more done than it was last year. But my kids are doing well (I think…who pays attention to such things?) and my laundry-room Woodchuck is thriving. I taught her how to sort lights, darks and delicates. She is my new best friend.

Right now, I’ve got bigger problems than the lack of progress on a novel.

How Different Artists Can Participate in the 100 Day Project The 100 Day Project is a celebration of process that encourages everyone to participate in 100 days of making. It's beautiful in its simplicity and flexibility allowing creators of all disciplines to participate. It produces incredible results, sometimes even life-changing.

In 2017 we PCSed to Tampa, FL. I was fortunate enough to make connections with a few people before we moved. The University of Tampa hired me to teach, and is where I am still teaching in the Dance Program.

I have a friend here in the UAE who had been to the Jaipur Lit Fest in the past and kept asking me to go with her. This being my last year in Abu Dhabi and therefore the last time I would be just a quick jaunt from India, I finally said yes. And it was tremendous.

I did manage to have a solo show of my watercolor paintings early in 2018, but the momentum didn’t last for me, unfortunately. I bet many of you reading this can relate to the feeling of “holding down the fort,” and I found myself in that position a lot in the past year. Even in August, when we finally enrolled my youngest in preschool, I found that I was constantly using the extra time this gave me for any number of tasks other than painting in my workspace at home.

Half of me feels like the time has flown by, but the other half spent a few months of the summer feeling like I was trapped and would never leave here. Fortunately, that fog has lifted quite a bit and I’m just trying to get back into some kind of normal-ish routine.