It’s September 1st and the air has changed…finally. There’s a freshness to the breeze that helps my shoulders drop a bit, and actually exhale. This is something that I haven’t really done yet but welcome fully as 2023 ticks towards Fall because it’s been….a year hasn’t it.
Much like many I’ve had some major life changes this year. I decided after 31 years it was time to end my teaching career. I was fortunate enough to have 26 years in Fairfax County Public Schools which allowed me to retire early but it still was a heavy lift to finally decide. I’ve known for a while now that I needed to make a change and restructure my life to bring in more balance and joy. And this decision felt like the gateway to that path. I was at my current school for 20 years so the excavation of those years was going to be a heavy lift. But once I decided the plan was to take the Spring to start offloading it all. Silly me.
Unfortunately my dad was admitted to the hospital the beginning of March and was in for 6 weeks. I traveled up to NY 3 times between March and April to be with him for whatever time we had left. My dad was amazing & I was lucky. We lost him Easter morning. I could go on about grief and family and caregiving…but for now I’ll just say…everyone is dealing with something so while I’m trying to be kind to myself I’m also trying to extend that to others. And also grief sucks.
Needless to say the remainder of the school year was a blur. I managed somehow return to school knowing I only had a few months to contend with made it bearable and easier to start to let go especially with way less in my tank. I also managed to crowbar all the crap I’d accumulated (er, I mean collected!) into my car, and then into my storage unit. The storage unit I also had been loading up with all the mementos I’d inherited from my parents house. It’s hard to let things go. But I’ve finally come to realize how stuck I really was.
We cannot plan anything. I mean, we can but doesn’t the Universe laugh or something? Well, the intention is to keep building my art practice and see where it takes me. It’s still cooking but I’m optimistic it’s going to be delicious once ready. Somethings take time in the oven and this is no exception. I’ve had the most incredible support from family and friends and I couldn’t have managed this year without them (Shout out to my people!) I’ve had opportunities fall in my lap that have been wonderful ways to expand and connect with people and my community that I wouldn’t have otherwise pursued because I didn’t have the time or mental bandwidth. And when you’re grieving, reaching out is vital.
So here I am, reaching out to you all and sharing the good and the exciting that’s happening in my life that I am so incredibly grateful for. To start I’ll be participating in the HalloWIERD Art Market at DelRay Artisans on Saturday September 23rd from 10 to 4 pm. It’s a spooky-halloween-fall themed event and there will be some cool stuff happening! Since I will not be participating in Art On The Avenue this year I hope to have a pretty full booth with as much as I would at AOTA so if you can make it it’d be amazing!!!
In October I will also be participating in the RECENT WORKS Exhibition at the Fairfax Railroad Museum on the 20th & 21st. This is an amazing collection of talented artists who I am lucky to also call friends. A percentage of each sale goes to the American Cancer Association and it’s a great event for a fall weekend.
I’ve also had a photograph chosen to be included in the upcoming Street Photography Exhibition, FLEETING MOMENTS at The Anthenaeum in Old Town Alexandria in October. Participating in a show at this gallery has been a goal of mine for a while so this is really exciting news!
In between I might also be selling my condo and moving….so no big! I’m staying local but it’s time to expand into more space. Until next month, I’ll be over on Instagram so don’t be a stranger! And thanks for subscribing if you’re getting this in your email…I greatly appreciate it!
Cheers~
Amy