Still Alive and Well

Plein Air from the north end of Cedar City.

Wow, I've been gone a while.   Since my last post I did a lot of painting.  And several shows.  But then I was diagnosed with cancer, had major surgery, and radiation treatments.   Somehow the desire to blog evaporated.   Well.  Here I am again.   

In the aftermath of treatment, I was a wreck.  Tired, in pain.  And painting badly.   A kindly friend made it her mission to get me out painting again.   It was hard.  It hurt.  Still does, some.   But after a couple of months I started being able to turn out a good painting or two.   Then I  did a solo exhibit featuring my new work.  It went really well.  Then weariness set in.  I've been through a few cycles of post surgical depression, so I assume it was more of the same.  My kind friend has moved on, so this time I have allowed myself to relax.   I paint a little--I have  a huge supply of unfinished plein air paintings to clean up--but I'm also enjoying time with my husband and daughter, biking, hiking, cooking, doing a little gardening.    I'm doing a lot of thinking, trying to recover my sense of joy and purpose in life and in art.   Some of those thoughts may make it into this blog.