backpacks

No big deal you guys, but Haverty's retweeted me. 

The furniture store.  Yeah. 

HAVE YOU SEEN THEIR NEW COMMERCIAL SERIES?

it is hilarious/ smart. 

So I said that.

and they retweeted me/ they said I am cool. 

I am pretty sure this means I win at things.




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and if success is a backpack, I am putting this Haverty's tweet in there.

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Somedays feel like this

Somedays feel like this

But it's my Jansport.

So that's the thing. I decide how full it is.

I decide.




even if the zipper is broken.

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And I can fill it with puppets. fabric. nephews. mud. paint. trees. warm weather. sparkly lights,


and friends, at a bar's big outdoor patio table----

WHAT!? 

That's success. 

have you been at a full table of hilarious and/or kind people lately?

(the above picture was inspired by people who fill my cup. and specifically, was a gift for my sister in law, Heather.)

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artistically. I am involved in several projects.

and in the middle of projects there are frustrations and fears.





and focus gets thrown off.




in LIFE. focus gets thrown off.


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but in the end. 

it isn't about showing everyone what's in your backpack.
HOW. EXHAUSTING.
it's about what you can take out of your backpack and 
hand to someone else.

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plus trophies are heavy and awkwardly shaped. put them the hell down.

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I make things for people. 

with people. 

about people.

and I am reminded every time I am with the students in LIVE ART,

what is important.

That PEOPLE. are why I do anything.

why I do everything.

they fill me up.




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There is a lot of thought. talk. and time. put into declaring where YOU are in life.



But it should be about where other people are, too.




or maybe mostly about them.

yeah. that.





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about them.

backpacks. for. everyone.

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busy. is good. a busy artist is...grateful. and nuts.

LATE AT NIGHT I LOOK LIKE THIS. in the event people were extremely interested. 

if you look closely you can find my phone. in 2 parts. not cool.

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this.

is one of my important documents. 

I know. I know.

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But. These. 

Are also important. 

Sketches for design work on a show. 

Richmond Ballet's Minds in Motion production:

The Epic of Gilgamesh

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I am seriously lucky. 

Ballet. 

Costume Design. 

good things come to those who. 

Keep.

Making.

(I am inappropriately in love with close up paper details.)

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Every show you see. Every time a character walks out. or a set change happens.

Someone designed that. 

Someone said... it should look like 

this.

I had to take this picture of my bed. Instead of freaking out, I documented it.

For this show, I am the costume designer. 

which is really pretty thrilling. a very neat opportunity.

Since. I love costumes.

and got to dream some up for professional company dancers. and about 3 million kids (that is an educated guess. if you saw the stage you'd guess the same)

When I get production pictures or possibly some clips of the show, I will share those. 

So you can see some of this in action.

But, these are some early images.

some of the props and costumes in progress.

Oh, and I left this guy in the costume shop. 

Two company dancers brought him to life together. so gracefully. 

It is the kind of dancing I dream up for my puppets. ( yes. I typed that sentence.)

I held my breath. and was excited to watch them USE this puppet to his potential. 

clever choreography and strong dancers. 

It was magical.

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It is fulfilling to get where you are trying to get. with professional people who value art. 

and consider it not only important. but vital. 

so they push it into public and private schools. and elevate students. 

teach lessons. 

and expose new little art-lovers to the idea that great things are possible.

Thank you Richmond Ballet.

especially the costume shop.

and Minds in Motion.

It is beyond exciting to see drawings come to life. 

and. for one little peek at part of this on stage. theres a picture here: 

in the Richmond Times Dispatch.

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important documents come in important briefcases.

every now and then i think. im gonna stop what im doing.

this artistic pursuit is exhausting. and a little extreme.. then 

no. 

no. im not. 

i cant.

some little sparkly bird-like creature walks in with a briefcase of reasons why i must go on. 





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no. 

im not dramatic.

i just see birdlike creatures bringing me messages in businesssuits. 

THAT. is different from dramatic. 

get it right.

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do you feel your heartbeat?

are you extremely aware of it in times not associated with panic.

no seriously.

are you?

I am.

So often that I trust it.

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but there are times I doubt things. 

and only times. 

that last for seconds really.

just long enough to make me stronger. 

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