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In the summer of 2022, just a few months out from under the pandemic, there were two events that significantly altered the trajectory of my life.

One, just six weeks short of their 13th birthday, my youngest child threw themselves from the seventh-story roof of the building my studio resides in. They died alone, broken on the cold pavement, while the rest of us slept. It wasn't until almost noon the next day that we were to learn her body had been found and recovered in the early morning dawn. With one look into my ex-husband's eyes, my life shattered into a million little fragments, and my family was irrevocably destroyed.

Two, somewhere in the background of this unfathomable tragedy, I became a locally recognized and somewhat commercially successful stained glass artist. Not only was I was showing consistently at local galleries, but I had also been published in multiple national magazines, was going to be a featured artist on the REFRACT: Open Studio Tour, and I had just been accepted onto the Washington State Public Artist Roster.

Through the processing of these two completely incongruent milestones, I was forced to examine everything I once thought of as important or as having VALUE. Since my immediate reality had completely shifted, I needed to metaphysically reset and to excise the “things” that no longer benefited my immediate reality. As an extension of this exercise, I began to clearly evaluate the intentions of all my actions. I became determined to ensure my future efforts continued to contribute to our society in a NET positive manner. To firmly embrace "Campfire Rules" and to leave my environment in better shape than I encountered it.

As I try to recover from the senselessness of my child's death, I will attempt to use art to mend the giant hole that has been left in my heart. I will assemble what is worth salvaging, and through this endeavor, I will find creative ways to share this art with the public. It is my desire to facilitate little pockets of space that will give participants something to look forward to on their daily outings.

Whether it be to dance in the refractions of the colored glass on the cement, or to see how the colors change depending on the light of the day, I want to design immersive experiences that engage our community. I want everyone to realize that their actions make a difference and that “they do matter.”

Stay tuned …