Mid-Spring Studio Update 2026

Many of you know since reading my studio updates for the past 17 years, how much we love and tend to our land, and neighborhood that stretches from Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill to Kentucky’s first settlement, Harrodsburg, the Historic Byway and our neighbor’s horse, cattle, crops, flowers and vegetable farms. Land that has been determined to be the best agricultural farmland in the state.

Now this peaceable, “heaven on earth”, as the Shakers thought of it, is challenged by the seemingly certain development of a Hyper Data Center. Please read to the end!

In this Mid-Spring Studio Update I share what’s new since mid-winter. Happy May Eve, the most beautiful time of the year, don’t you think, as we welcome the light half of the year. After a brutal first part of this cycle since that time, (when it was so cold we had snowcrete for two weeks, and all the animals were walking on top of the ice crust, then the neighbors’ pigs got loose and weeded the fig bed but we had nightly murmurations to entertain us) now the land is providing us abundantly.

Each season for Viburnum, Lily of the Valley, Lilac is so short I take in as much of the fresh energy and scent as possible. Greg’s greenhouse is bursting; there is so much to be grateful for and to look forward to – real food and green gazing.

Creative Visionary Program

For the third time I am taking Creative Visionary Program in Art2Life with Nicholas Wilton. It is a focus for me from the equinox through June each year.

For this year’s art board (in my journal, my mobile analog computer) I took a studied approach, looking back through years of art to see what is still inspiring to me. Moving from watercolor/drawing/collage to acrylics has been a challenge, in that I lost some qualities that made me fall in love with artmaking.

2026 theme is “what was lost is found”, based on Decembers retreat. So, I searched and found favorite pieces from 2004 to pieces from previous CVP boards, daily art practice and paintings. It has been worth the effort in that I will steer my efforts to achieve the qualities I find in them; dimension, transparency, meaning, color combinations, realistic painting combined with abstract, birds, botanicals, scripts and shapes. Through introspection I have distilled that the aim for my art is to feel luminous, emotionally connecting, and full of wonder.

I wanted to keep the images in a format easy for me to discern, so I made notes about why I chose each one along with color samples and small prints from other artworks that have the feelings I found on the last pages. Play in the journal keeps the pump primed.

At this point, week 6 after completing the value and design assignments, I understand even more, why the program is set up to investigate desire, inspiration and art. I am grateful to myself that I spent the time to support ways I will paint forward. Not that I can see the crystal ball, but I have gained a sense of confidence, which is my main desire.

At first, I resisted doing value and design exercises (for the third time, “I’ve already done that” excuse). Once in the flow I really enjoyed it, and when I compared them to the first 2 years, I was astonished that I have internalized the concept of value contrast, and it teaches me what I value by what I choose. Like view from our balcony when I was 5, a recurring image based on a1954 photo on my dad’s rolleiflex camera; I felt close to him doing this exercise, so I see the value in pursuing our values.

Sunwise Art Center

Wondering what else from the past was worth pursuing I took a lengthy look into my previous journals, going back to 2004, which revealed a recurring desire to create a museum. Going deeper I realized the idea of museum was not accurate. At this time of my life, 22 years later, the more accurate desire is to create “Sunwise Art Center”.

It is inclusive of integrating our original intent for an artful life. This incorporates other art related forms like one-on-one mentoring, archived collections, archeological research, classes, architecture, agricultural sustainability, meditation and healing. Sunwise means going in a positive direction.

From journals dating back to 1984, I picked sketches that remind me of long-standing intentions for continuing education and sharing; drawing, the original idea of a center based on hexagonal building, flower essences, chakras and meditation, 4 seasons Atlas of the Year, ancestral knowledge, communication through language and image.

What I realized is that I can begin with what I have NOW, which is why I chose the existing image of my studio on the art pages above.

Data Center

In Greg’s continuing research into prehistoric trails, he has been had stunning revelations about The Big Pond that have resulted in local and state wide maps. He wrote a guest post on the subject, “Time is a funny thing”. Working in collaboration with cartologist Donna they are proud to show the first drafts. With exciting historical breakthrough being investigated, the map will surely be updated.

This is all coming in good time as this research will be presented at the next Planning and Zoning hearing. This is the last chance for citizens to present their firm and informed testimony about saving agricultural and culturally historic areas. We are in a group We Are Mercer County that presents facts of the situation. You can sign the petition for a moratorium on Data Center construction. I am asking you, please do. It’s not just Mercer County, it’s our American farmland, it always has been.

Happy Derby Day

One of the benefits of Creative Visionary Program is being in community with artists from around the world. I am thrilled to be in association with Lesley Humphrey, official 137th Kentucky Derby artist (2011). Lesley is from the UK, and knows our bluegrass area very well. She wrote a lovely poem that was presented at first lady’s event. She graciously gave permission to share her art. It captures the movement and excitement of Derby in a loose vibrant way. I think many of you will remember it.

And soon, Happy Mothers’ Day to all mothers. I did a value study of my youngest’s birth for myself to celebrate the day.