What I’m working on – May 2026

As I was writing this post this morning it occurred to me that I should definitely take a moment to celebrate having three of my pieces out in the world this month. It’s the most I’ve ever had out at once. So cheers to that moment!

This past weekend I also did some journaling on the creative process. I often get stuck feeling like I’m not working enough because I define “working” as butt in seat doing the thing. But Suleika Jaouad in The Book of Alchemy: A creative practice for an inspired life identifies four categories: Ideation, Work Phase, Putting it into the World, Fallow Season. So during my journaling I wrote down each of those four categories and listed all the things happening in each one. Guess what? I bet you can see where this is going WAAAAAAY better than I did.

Yeah, I have things in every category. I’m guessing you figured that out before I did. (I’m counting not working on one of my many interests as fallow. So if I haven’t made any books or collage lately, I’m considering that fallow time.) Yeah. I need to make that list more often and keep it updated regularly so I can get rid of the buzzing in my head that says I’m not working.

Where you can see my work

Three of Wands (A phylogeny of my creativity) is showing at Embracing Art 2026 at the Carnegie Visual Arts Center and will close May 10, 2026. If you are in the area, I hope you will make time to see this showcase of North Alabama artists before it closes next week!

Six of Cups (Cherishing memories of Big Spring Park) opened in From Source to Sea: Alabama Streams of She at The Library Art Gallery at Birmingham Botanical Gardens this past weekend. The show runs until June 25, 2026.

My mobile The Star (Light my Way) just got juried into the show Borderless. It will be on display at Lowe Mill in the ALWCA 2nd Floor Gallery South. The show runs from June 3 to August 29, 2026 with a closing reception on August 29th from 5-7pm.

I’ve never had this many pieces out at once that weren’t all in a solo show together. It’s both exciting and exhausting. Exhausting because what you can’t see behind the scenes is all the coordination for picking up and dropping off pieces. The packing and the labeling, so people know what to do with the pieces once they are out of my hands. If it’s a distance drop off, the driving to drop it off and then the driving to pick it up. It’s a lot and it’s the part of my work that truthfully, I sometimes have to grit my teeth a little bit to get done. But at the same time, I’m trying to keep it in perspective because once these pieces come down, I don’t have anything else on the horizon for a while.

A note on previous open calls

I was supposed to hear back this past month from three calls I’d applied to. I heard back from one (I didn’t get in and I submitted three pieces and got three rejection emails – ouch!) but didn’t hear back from the other two. Turns out, one of those only notifies the accepted (you get a side eye) and since the other was a national call, I’m guessing they won’t notify anyone but the fifty accepted either (and you ALSO get a side eye). I can’t decide if rejection emails are better than just not hearing anything at all?? Whatevs, on to the next thing!

Open calls I’m working on

I don’t have any current open calls I’m working on. Neither National Women’s Caucus for Art or ALWCA have any open calls right now so it’s off to the wider community to check what’s out there. A quick look at the Call for Entry website this morning has yielded a BUNCH of options! So I’ll be taking some time this afternoon to sift through those and see if there’s a few that I might apply to.

Paper things

I don’t have any paper projects I’m currently working on. These things go in cycles and paper is currently off cycle. I think I talked about working on classes last month. I might try to do that this month. For real. Time allowing.

Crochet things

I have several things I finished in April and I’m intending to finish the magpie shawl (pattern by Heather Gibbs) I’ve been working on FOREVER! THIS MONTH FOR SURE!

Here’s some finished and very nearly finished objects. The rainbow mantis shrimp (pattern by ComplicatedKnots) is finished. The hat (pattern: Eternal Dawn Beanie) and the mandala cardigan (pattern is a mashup of two free patterns and I have extensive notes on my Ravelry entry for the project) are finished but need washing and blocking. The Sweet Potato Venus of Willendorf (pattern by TrishagurumiCrochet) is nearly finished.

I also need to start working on the crochet bits for my next art piece. I did some pattern look ups this past week and I know where I’m headed! BUT I need to go into the closet stash and find out if the yarn I’m remembering is there and how much of it there is. I’ll do that sometime this week.

I’ve also got to dye some fabric for that next art piece project. I’ve got plenty of avocado pits so it’s just a matter of taking a day to get it set up on the stove.

Other things in progress

I’ve started a collaboration with a friend. I don’t have much information to share about this yet because we are very much in the early ideation phase. But I’m excited to do it! It fits into my current Tarot project and I’m hoping that it will be something that we enjoy and if we enjoy it enough, maybe do it again. I’m never sad about inviting someone in to share the making process with. I find it makes it all the better.

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