Ciao, West Virginia!

Picture this: I traded the lively hum of Chicago’s North Shore for the whispering hills of West Virginia. It’s a question I hear often—why leave behind the energy of the city for a place so different, so quiet? The answer is simple: this is where my heart led me. Until you’ve wandered West Virginia’s winding roads and shared stories with its locals, it’s hard to explain the magic here. In truth, it’s not just about what you find—it’s what you leave behind. The city’s noise, relentless traffic, and endless debates have faded into the background, replaced by something far more peaceful. I don’t miss them one bit.

Of course, leaving isn’t easy. Uprooting your life cracks open even the sturdiest foundations, and the logistics of moving cross-country are enough to wear anyone down. But I kept my eyes on the horizon—on the promise of new beginnings, creative space, and the adventure that comes with embracing the unknown.

I am currently working on finding my new teaching venues, and I look forward to sharing my work with everyone.

Be gentle with yourselves, remain protective of your time, and get out and enjoy nature.

Michele

My Tips for successfully living with an artist

• Be understanding of the need. Creativity can be spontaneous or planned. If they start acting like a caged animal, then the time is near. The creative process doesn’t always play fair with structure and conformity.

• Be open to all types of materials being brought into the house, it’s all useful, and purposeful...oh, and try not to touch anything.

• Understand that it’s pretty much a losing battle to focus on anything else once the train leaves the station. Food will not be a priority; coffee is a must, and cleaning might not even hit the radar. Be perceptive, plan accordingly, and jump in to help.

• Be curious and ask them about what they’re working on and really R E A L L Y care about their response. An artist’s purpose for everything comes from the soul. It’s a frustrating and emotionally charged process. Always keep in mind that artists tend to have excessive personalities, good and bad. They give all of themselves, all of the time. Foster the good and keep their dark side in perspective. Sounds cliché, but everyone needs the dark to appreciate the light.

• Let them know their ideas matter, and their passion is appreciated. This is also in my top ten “how to be a human being” list, too.

• Offer really constructive solutions when they ask for suggestions. I call this “spark talk”. A lot of times they’ll walk away when they get what they need from the conversation, don’t take this the wrong way. If they trusted you enough to ask you, there is no further explanation.

• Not all ideas come to fruition, and for most creative people, the process is just as important as the final product. Artists have their non-judgmental “go-to” people. You’ll know if it’s you. They won’t always have the best timing when the need to share ideas arises, and they don’t care either. Creative flow happens.   

• Give them space. Not just physical space, but mental space. It can be overwhelming at times, and solitude helps. Again, don’t take this personally. Most artists have introverted personalities, and time alone is necessary. Take the time to understand the difference between an introvert and an extrovert. It’s probably not what you think.

• Be patient. Artists are amazing, confusing, frustrating, and charismatic individuals. Their personalities can be volatile at times, sensitive all of the time, and often aloof. Try to channel this and avoid phrases like “you’re too this and you’re overreacting,” because they don’t help.

• Feel lucky to have them because even though they don’t always say it, they feel the same about you. Trust them and cultivate their inner strength and beauty. This feeds their soul, and it will, in return, feed the souls of everyone around them.

2020

The beginning of curious adventure

I’ll be honest: I have no idea how to write a blog, but I’m willing to get uncomfortable and learn as I go. My goal is simple—share what I’m working on, and, more importantly, share my own self-discovery along the way. The process matters most, and I want to bring you along for it.

If you know me, you know I’m an open book. Stories from my day, my past, or my future plans—if I have them, I’ll share them. Whether that’s a good trait or not is up for debate, but it’s who I am.

If it weren't for loss, the gain would have gone unnoticed.

Losing a great friend in 2018 threw my life off track more than I wanted to admit. I had to reinvent myself without that friendship and find a way to move through all the sadness. That loss forced me to slow down and make better use of my time here. I lost someone, but in the process, I found a deeper understanding of myself and what I’m capable of. Art became both my comfort and my outlet. Creating with my hands and mind brings me back to myself—so much so that I knew I had to share it. That’s why I started teaching again.

On a side note, I cannot think of a worse time to embark on the adventure of starting a business. In fact, I have had my fair share of skeptics telling me the same, but here I am, developing my brand and diving in headfirst. No big shock that I didn't listen to those voices.  I could no longer ignore life's cruel timeline. The biggest con in the history of being an adult is waiting for the time to be right.

Join me, not for any other reason but to experience the joy and light that art can bring to your soul.

I look forward to meeting all of you someday.

What the heck is a curiologist?

Curiologist  - A curiously creative individual who applies the concepts, principles, and theories of expressing themselves through art. I created this word in order to try and define my creative process. Curiology is not exclusive to any one medium and sure as heck not defined by set parameters. While creating a word might seem a bit ostentatious, it is, in my mind, the exact opposite. I simply needed to choose my own narrative.

I practice Curiology, deeply rooted art exploration. I look at things in a different way than most people. I think using my heart. While this seems a very odd contradiction, to me it means that I think about things in terms of how they make me feel. It has taken a particularly long period of time to harness this part of me, and even longer to not allow it to rule my life. Most people like comfortable and clear thoughts tucked into a nice neat little box; systematic, safe, and logical. I respect box thoughts but that is not where I find the most personal growth. I find myself suffering from bouts of claustrophobia when faced with both complacency and mediocrity.  

As an artist, I often find myself in awe of what inspires me. In my younger years, my center looked very different than it does now. I am no longer driven by the things that I once coveted. My creative drive is now pointed in the direction of things that feed my soul. I can’t think of a better way to contribute to humanity than to help others cultivate their own creativity. 

Dedicating the next phase of my life in support of being curious and cultivating creativity in others.