"Artist Joe Goode lost 40 yeasr worth of valuable artwork when a fire detroyed his studio.  So what did he do?  He made art about the devastation."  -LA Times

Read the entire article here...so inspiring! 

Heather Knight's ceramics look like something you'd find diving deep in the Great Barrier Reef.  See her work and find out about her latest shows on her website, and buy yourself a Heather Knight treasure in her Etsy shop.

"I find my inspiration in all aspects of nature. My goal is to make work that reflects my touch and recalls the complexity and beauty found in the natural world."  -Artist Statement 

Have you been to Joshua Tree?  No?  Get going! 

Out My Window NYC is a fascinating blog...read on:

"Gail Albert Halaban, photographer, in collaboration with the Design Trust for Public Space is working on a documentary photography project about people and their views in New York City and beyond."  -OMWNYC blog 

Who knew Montreal was such a hotbed of Art Deco architecture?  If there was any doubt, a quick visit to Art Deco Montreal will wipe it out.  They have maps, history, information & events, including a tour of St. Joseph's Oratory on May 20th.

"The Art Deco Society of Montreal is a bilingual, nonprofit organization formed to foster awareness and appreciation of the Art Deco period (c.1920-1940) and to preserve the precious decorative, industrial, and architectural arts of that era.  Montréal ranks in the top ten cities in the world for its Art Déco architecture."  -ADM Website

 I have had this book on my nightstand for as long as I can remember.  I love its bite-sized writings on everything from art to childhood and everything in between.  The Wisdom of Rilke - one of my favorites!

Alas, I was supposed to be in Tibet right now, but my trip got cancelled as a result of the protests a few weeks ago.  Until I am able to try to go another time, I can at least explore and learn more about the art of the Himalayas at Himalayan Art Resources, a wealth of images and information! 

Affordable, light-filled artist studios - makes me wish I lived in the Bay Area!  Art Explosion Studios rocks! 

...someone new is telling me about A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle.  You can also see lectures and discussions based on the book over on a little website you may have heard of called Oprah... 

 The Denver Art Museum is now in the midst of its Take Two: Film & Its Inspirations series.  Art + film = Inspiration Squared.

I read this article about MEND:  Meet Each Need with Dignity in the LA Times this week and was blown away.  Visit their website to volunteer, donate and make a difference! 

"Each month, more than 9,300 hours are donated by volunteers from a broad range of backgrounds and income levels; all joining together to act as people helping people. Each person plays a vital role in meeting the mission of MEND. From the distribution of food, clothing to assistance in job training and placement, our volunteers give MEND life."  -MEND Website  

This just might have to be on my itinerary when I go to San Diego next month.  Georgia O'Keefe and hte Women of Stieglitz Circle opens May 24 at the San Diego Museum of Art. 

No really, what is The Moth?

"The Moth, a not-for-profit storytelling organization, was founded in New York in 1997 by poet and novelist George Dawes Green, who wanted to recreate in New York the feeling of sultry summer evenings on his native St. Simon's Island, Georgia, where he and a small circle of friends would gather to spin spellbinding tales on his friend Wanda's porch. After moving to New York, George missed the sense of connection he had felt sharing stories with his friends back home, and he decided to invite a few friends over to his New York apartment to tell and hear stories. Thus the first "Moth" evening took place in his living room. Word of these captivating story nights quickly spread, and The Moth moved to bigger venues in New York. Today, The Moth conducts six ongoing programs and has brought more than 2,000 live stories to over 60,000 audience members."  -The Moth Website 

I love the work of Jessica Martin, whose artist statement explains that her "...art process aims to...blur the line between the real and the imagined, the familiar and the extra-ordinary."