I am going to brag a little, don't like bragging but just this one time okay? There is a section on the web site for Parkinsons Disease Foundation where people with parkinsons can submit their art work. So I submitted some of my glass work. Here is the link: http://www.pdf.org/en/gallery/artist/496
Anyway, they choose one of my pieces for the 2010 calender, it is the month of June. The Parkinsons Recourse Center up here in Spokane, Washington saw the calender and have asked me to speak at their next meeting on Dec 21. They want me to show my art and tell people how I melt the glass. I am very honored but also very nervous. Also now that I have eliminated sinemet from my medicine, I am shaking more and having a harder time doing glass. I pray this goes away. So, if anyone would like to attend the meeting, afterwards come introduce yourself and we can meet in person. I have never been to these meetings, suppose I just didn't want to admit I have pd but would love to meet anyone who lives up in this area.

My other news is that I have been approved for SSDI and my company long term disability. I have been approved based on my bad back and my pd. I can no longer sit or stand for periods longer than an hour for sitting and 15 min for standing, so can't work unfortunately. Loved my job, draftsperson, but just can't do it anymore. Thank god I have my art now to keep me "happy" and busy.

Art is deeply rooted in our genetic code. It was an evolutionary advantage without which we might not have made it as a species; and we still might not make it if we ignore beauty and creativity. And all items that make life worth living. Art, music, dance, handicrafts - and probably lots of other things - are especially valuable for People With Parkinson's, because art and music and dance and vigorous exercise and emotions are pre-verbal; before language and thought and definition; deeply rooted in us; when we get into "the Zone" we touch on the eternal, and the universe reveals itself as a quite amazing feat, a stunning Creation, a tour-de-force, and we, too, want to create. We saw the moon coming up hundreds of thousands of years before we knew, factually, what it was. Before that, for uncounted generations, when the moon came up, all we could do was wonder and marvel. Pre-verbal. And pre-verbal is often where our pain is located. Get primitive ! Everybody, forget your perfect explanation, shut off the chatter in your head, and get up and boogie! Or paint. Or join the very few people who make art out of glass; alchemy of beauty; each item one of a kind.
The creators of Beauty are the true revolutionaries. They say, "You know, life is supposed to be worth living." As Penny Lang says, "Follow your bliss".
It's Saturday, and I am allowed to talk like this on week-ends.

Keep talkimg I am listening

Your piece in the calendar is beautiful!!

Glass art, to me, is one of the most beautiful of artwork. What artists can do with glass never ceases to amaze me...from huge pieces to the tiniest pieces, almost specs of glass, they can be so tiny.

I was in NYS for Thanksgiving at my youngest daughter's home. She works for the Corning Museum of Glass. The museum shop, which is an amazing place any day of the year, has their 75% off sale that weekend each year. I bought about half of my Christmas gifts that day. I just looked at the online shop and it does not do justice to the real shop; not even close. My daughter bought for her sister a 'Tiffany' style lamp for $75 (not the one with wrought iron work.) It was originally priced at $500, but was sale marked as if it had been $300; it was an irresistible deal.

Carolyn

What a great place to work!! Has she ever considered doing glass? You got an excellent deal on the lamp. Thanks for the compliment. I just got back from studio. It is 13 deg outside with a significant windchill but inside studio it is about 80 degrees. The glass studio is the place to be in the winter!

What a gift you have. Your pieces are beautiful; thank you for posting the link for viewing them. Headlines in the local section of our newspaper today is all about 2 installations of Dale Chihuly's glassworks in Columbus, Oh., one of your Washington state's artist. Madelyn