It’s 5:39 am in the Seattle Airport.

I just bought a 14-dollar turkey and cheese sandwich. The packaging claimed this sandwich will be on my A+ list. Not sure it meets such a gold standard, but I am hungry. And having left my portfolio of my small and might work at the check-out counter —raced back and found it—the taste is satisfying.

The last two days have been all about maintenance. Sunday was pack “my work, clean studio, pack my clothes, clean cabin” day. Monday was a travel day back to Seattle, say good-bye to Minnie the Mouse rental car and try to avoid eating the chocolate chip cookie at Doubletree Hilton Hotel.

It’s always hard to leave a residency.

I was honored to be selected a Centrum resident. Many thanks to the staff for their support and generosity. Their program is on my A+ List. And the Fort Worden grounds provided such a lovely setting for exploring outside of studio time. (The movie, An Officer and a Gentleman was filmed here)

In 2017, I was awarded my first Fellowship to Ballinglen Arts Foundation in County Mayo, Ireland. It was a crucial turning point for me, a chance to establish myself as a practicing artist after 45+ years in the gallery business. I was sixty-six years old.

Now, seven years later, hanging out in the Pacific Northwest, observing its magnificence—energy and strength — is another reminder that we are not the only conscious living beings in the universe. I feel very fortunate to have stood near sea sacks and slept near black-tailed deer. Both will remain sentinels to me.

I will leave you with this diagram (below) I saw on Instagram yesterday. It’s rather fitting as I head home to continue doodling.

Thank you for following along.

January 28