My dearest friends,

Where did the year go? Here I am thinking about Christmas vacation and
recharging the batteries already and it seems I was just planning some
spring art festivals. I wanted to work enough this year to earn my peaceful
Kansas vacation, where I do nothing but read and soak the winter in. Perhaps
I'm not the best judge of whether I earned a rest or not, but I sure am
tired about now...

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New Stuff

Through the Gorge, a small woodcut belonging to the road series:
http://www.1000woodcuts.com/fullsize/thrugorge.html

Southwest Condos, a funny print for a Printmaker's International Exchange:
http://www.1000woodcuts.com/fullsize/swcondos.html

Entre Viento y Sol (Amid Wind and Sun), another print done primarily for an
exchange, in answer to the theme: "where I live"
http://www.1000woodcuts.com/fullsize/entreviento.html

Updated pages:
1,000 Woodcuts page now has the 3 new and has been split so that woodcuts
1-50 are in their own page (I forget not everyone has a cable modem!).
http://www.1000woodcuts.com/1000woodcuts/1000.html

More Quotes
http://www.1000woodcuts.com/1000woodcuts/quotes.html

Road Trip continues...
http://www.1000woodcuts.com/1000woodcuts/road.html

http://www.1000woodcuts.com/1000woodcuts/road2.html

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Thoughts and Ramblings

Energy is the topic of the month for me. Having a background in Exercise
Physiology (gosh, that was so long ago), I tend to think that mental energy
is closely tied to physical energy. Without getting really "out there" on
this concept, I firmly believe that energy begets energy, the opposite also
being true. Getting the blood pumping first thing in the morning is crucial
to a good productive day.

So I start with a brisk walk most days, even if it is just to the mail box
scarcely a quarter of a mile two-way trip. The sun and wind strike my face
and get some thoughts flowing. I plan the day in my head, perhaps think
about the next print, or what went wrong with the last one, how to improve,
what to change...
Energy starts flowing and, as much as I want to finish my prescribed walk, I
yearn to get home and get started on the day's tasks. Without the walk,
things slug along, my head never really wakes up, tasks seem insurmountable
and much too numerous to get done in this lifetime.
Energy comes from doing, at least for me. On those days when I just can't
seem to get going, I force my body into the studio, leaving the mind behind
to sulk somewhere. Meanwhile, I start fiddling with this paper, tinkering at
this block, perhaps doing something boring and inevitable as signing a
finished edition, sweeping the studio or rearranging some shelves.
Soon, I realize I am working and in doing more energy just sprouts out of
nothing and things get done. Eventually, everything gets done. It just takes
doing.

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This Month

One event left in this season in Las Vegas, and an opening in California,
which I may sadly miss due to lack of energy ;-)
All in the exhibits page:
http://www.printmakingstudio.com/exhibits/exhibit.html

For the bargain hunters:
http://www.1000woodcuts.com/1000woodcuts/specialoffers.html

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Quote(s) of the Day
"The door of opportunity won't open unless you do some pushing."--Anon

"Too many of us are hung up on what we don't have,
can't have, or won't ever have. We spend too much
energy being down, when we could use that same energy - if not
less of it - doing, or at least trying to do, some of the things
we really want to do."

Thanks for listening and health to all,
Maria
 

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Maria Arango, Printmaker
Las Vegas  Nevada  USA
http://www.1000woodcuts.com
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