The Mind Bloom bloomed.
Thank you to all who came to see The Mind Bloom exhibit at the University of Michigan Matthaei Botanical Gardens, purchased paintings, and showed support. All of it means a great deal to me. The experience of sharing 40 paintings—each with their corresponding poems and writing—was like taking a leap. I knew what it all meant to me, but had no idea how it would be understood or received. Well, I couldn't have asked for a better experience. Hearing people's comments and thoughts and questions enriched the work even more.
One friend in particular, knowing how important it all is to me, congratulated me on the first day of the show, and said that one of the things she liked most was that all of the work was so 'uncynical', which is one of the best comments I could have asked for. My temperament has always skewed a bit towards the melancholy, which is not a bad thing, but I would want my work to ultimately represent the experience of being alive and awake—despite the darkness that everyone faces at times.
This cycle of making and sharing is one that I plan to continue for the rest of my life. Looking ahead to more experiences and exhibits...and leaps.