Mennonite Arts Weekend

Today's postcard - valentine flower and hand dyed fabrics

This was Mennonite Arts Weekend in Cincinnati and it was my first time attending. There was an opening session on Friday, workshop sessions and music on Saturday, and a Sunday worship service.

I especially enjoyed sessions with two women presenters. Cyndi Gusler is chair of the art department at Eastern Mennonite University, and her mixed media collage pieces are worth looking up on the Eastern Mennonite website. Her recent work combines birds and recycled materials, but I couldn't find pictures of those on a website.

Sybil Graber Gerig is an adjunct professor at Goshen College and has illustrated several children's books, including The Underbed, The Worry Stone, and Fiddlin' Sam. Her landscape art quilts use batiks and hand-dyed fabrics, sometimes in tiny pieces. She uses tiny machine stitches and lots of contrast in her quilts, sometimes anchoring the bits of fabric by stitching down the center. Once again, I can't find those of a website, but if you ever have a chance to attend a workshop with either of these women, you'll enjoy their passion and personality.

Just going to the sessions and seeing the artists' work was enough for me. There were so many things swirling around in my head that I didn't stay for dinner and the evening music. One perk of the weekend was that my cousin Gregg, from Bluffton University, brought two students to the workshops and stayed with me Friday night. We stayed up late talking and I appreciated the chance to see him and hear family stories.

This was a warm day and I put insulation in the little attic space that's right behind my computer. Tonight it's 35 degrees so it's too soon to know whether my feet will be warmer. I'll be disappointed if it doesn't make a difference.

I went to Steph's tonight for a good dinner and the first half of the Super Bowl. Everyone was healthy and well and happy. As usual, Nora was enjoying Aunt Tina.

Aaron started eating baby food this week and is very happy about it.

That little guy is growing fast and eating a lot.