Where have you Been?!

Oh my - it's been two weeks since my last post and so much has happened, I'm not really sure where to start. I just returned from a week long vacation at the Grand Canyon, Lake Powell, and Zion National Park. This trip came on the heels of Passover after only one day back from Art and Soul in Asilomar.

This trip inspired a short poem, which I will mix in with some pics:

I Hear You - by Tally Oliveau

Down in the canyon

I can hear you

calling my name.

So quiet

so still,

yet I hear it.

I hear your call.

Down in the canyon

I can hear You

echo on the walls

layer by layer,

so quiet

so still,

yet I hear it.

I hear your call.

Down in the canyon

I can hear you

blue sky reaching

down to caress me,

so quiet

so still,

yet I hear it.

I hear your call.

This canyon that I am sharing these photos - is called Antelope Canyon - and was quite amazing. We took a guided four wheel drive way out into the desert to find it. While hot outside, it is instantly cool and quiet inside. It felt like a stone womb - smooth, dark, undulating walls - I flowed through - following the light to the other side.

What else can be said about Art and Soul that you haven't read already? It was really, really great, I met some amazing people whom I hope to see many times again, and I made some really cool stuff. I took LK Ludwig's two day nature journal class, which was chock full of good learnin'. I really enjoyed taking a two day class, allowing to delve more deeply into one project. Of course, as these retreats go, it's not complete. I also took Stephanie Lee's Junk Drawer Metalsmithing. Lots of good learnin' there too. The class was totally overcrowded, as another jewelry design class had gotten cancelled, and all (well it felt like all) those people were transferred over to this class. So, not much time with teacher, but, again made some cool things that are unfinished. I have promised myself to finish all these projects by the end of the week, and I will share them then. Rest assured, the teachers and the classes were wonderful and worth every penny.

I was also a vendor at vendor night, selling my cards. You should all know, that A&S charges a crap-load of money to have that table on vendor night. Yes, even to the teachers. Apparently, this keeps out the "riif-raff". I was definetely the riff-raff there - some really cool art for sale! I sold lots of cards - so thanks to everyone who bought them!

Here are some pics to share from Asilomar. They can't convey the beauty of the location, or the campy, feel-good feeling you get when you think of the friends you met there. But, at least they are an attempt.

Can you feel the grass glowing in the sunset?

Here are three of the super-cool peeps I met on this journey. There were many other cool peeps, but just don't have the energy anymore to resize photos and load. L-R: me, Rachel, Raquel, and Audra.