2021 Review for JK Mosaic

Wow, for me personally, 2021 was a year of milestones, meaningful experiences, and fulfilling work. Here are the highlights:

January 2021: I was working on my studio foyer, which had been framed out with a dirt floor for years. Now it is a welcoming entryway and tiny gallery space that helps protect and insulate my big studio from the wet and cold.

February 2021: I was part of a group show with nine other mosaic artist friends at Northwind Art Center in Port Townsend. We had a virtual panel discussion in lieu of an opening reception. *Note: Our show was up at the Chessman Gallery in Lincoln City, OR later in the year as well.

March 2021: The driveway in front of the studio was paved and drainage installed so rain no longer pools on the floor in winter! This was a big investment, and I didn’t even realize how much of an improvement it would be. I also completed a transom commission for a client in Florence, Or and a fireplace surround for a client in Tacoma, both for private homes.

April 2021: Someone took a sharp implement to the mosaic work installed in Tigard, OR in 2020, so I did some repair work. I had to chip out the damaged glass and re-set those sections. But the big accomplishment in April was finally installing a 24.5′-long patio inlay I had completed in the second half of 2020. This is in University Place, WA, for a private home.

May 2021: The big deal in May was that my daughter turned 18. I officially became the parent of an adult! I also completed a portrait I had been slowly working on since winter for a Black Lives Matter project. (More on this in September.) AND I led a small community project to create a stepping stone for Monarch Sculpture Park’s butterfly maze:

In June, my daughter graduated from high school, and then my husband and I took a month-long trip to southern MX; our first trip alone since having a child all those years ago. We started in Mexico City and worked our way through Oaxaca, Chiapas, Campeche, the Yucatan Peninsula and back to CDMX before flying home in mid-July. The trip was amazing!

July 2021: After returning from our trip, it was time to install Fertility on Bainbridge Island as part of the Something New outdoor sculpture exhibition. This piece is on display for a year, and is for sale through Bainbridge Arts & Humanities. During the opening celebration, my friend Jill Carter helped me construct a “nest” under the egg from plants, feathers, flowers, fabric and findings.

August 2021: In August, I was in progress on a commission (see Oct.) and took a week to fly to Santa Barbara to film my most recent course for Mosaic Arts Online, Garden Mosaic for Any Climate. The course is one of three available at www.mosaicartsonline.com and has been getting great positive feedback.

September 2021: The Black Lives Matter exhibition opened in Pullman at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art. The Jordan Schnitzer Foundation wanted to help create constructive dialogue around this movement through the lens of art. I was one of 20 artists selected for this show (there were 2 other shows as well, in other locations) and it was a humbling, meaningful experience. My piece will be donated to the City of Lacey, WA upon its return in January to be installed as public art. I was also part of a group show aptly titled “September” at Childhoods End Gallery in Olympia, WA.

October 2021: I was thrilled to have great weather to install the mural I had been working on since July at a private home in Olympia, WA. I also participated in Olympia Arts Walk with a show of my papercut designs at 222 Market. The opening reception was busy, almost like the Before Times! I sold 10 papercuts and donated 25% of proceeds to the ACLU. In personal news, Mike and I celebrated our 20th anniversary with a garden recommitment ceremony and party that was absolutely perfect.

November 2021: I only had one modest commission due in November, and otherwise I took a breath, worked on admin for 2022 projects, played around with goofy small projects and experiments, and gave myself a bit of a much-needed break. My kid had started a full-time job and is becoming increasingly independent, and I’m processing this new stage of life. Also, I turned 52 and set an intention to deepen my relationships with local friends to grow older and wiser together.

December 2021: And here I am now in early December, typing this out. It is gratifying (and a little bit exhausting) to look back at the year this way. 2022 is already shaping up to be another busy year, as I’m booked solid through summer, and I’ve decided not to take on any commissions in the fall so that I have some time blocked out to slow down and take care of myself (and home/family). I’m already in progress on a mural for a large corporation that I’m very excited about, but it’s going to take solid focus from now through winter as I’m working with a construction deadline. My proposal was selected for a public art project in Edmonds that will be due in July. I will be part of a group residency at the end of January, and the same group will have an exhibition at the Washington Center April-June. After my Edmonds installation is complete, I’ll be working on another exciting commission for an iconic Olympia location.

Thank you so much for coming along on this ride with me! I might be a hermit, just working away on projects out in the boondocks, surrounded by a giant animal family, but I wouldn’t be doing this without the support of family, friends, students, colleagues, and most especially: clients. I am filled with gratitude every day to be able to do work that is fulfilling, and that I enjoy (most of the time). I have the flexibility to manage the farm and tend dogs, cats, birds, axolotl and lizard. It’s a great life and I never take it for granted.

Stay well, everyone. Happy Holidays!