'Drawings' tangle

'Drawings' (pronounced dra-wings) was just the challenge I needed to get me drawing again. I've been blessed with so many family and friends that are helping me deal with my husband's death. My kids check in on me often and keep me involved in the grandkid's lives. My sister came out to help me deal with the mountains of paperwork I am dealing with. My friends are helping me to keep on smiling and laughing. And I even have a trash angel who lives next door who brings my trash can back up to the house on garbage day. So I couldn't not think of all the angels in my life as I drew this tangle.

I've been having trouble sleeping at night (but that's nothing new) so late, late one night I got out my sketchbook and just started to practice this tangle. The first few times I drew it I felt it was way too clunky, I didn't really like it. But I kept playing with it, and started to try tangleations, until it grew on me. After that I just pulled out a zendala tile and went for it. I didn't stress out about what to put with it, or even to try to put in a string. A simple monotangle would be my restart.

Getting ready to post again

It's been over a month since I last posted. Last month life was going on as normal (or as normal as it was for me). I was creating art and taking care of my husband with his health issues. We celebrated Thanksgiving with the whole family at our house.

Then life changed. My husband's health went downhill rapidly. The hospice nurses who had been helping me take care of him at home, recommended transferring him to the hospice facility so they could manage his pain better. That was on a Monday. On Wednesday, Dec 14th, he passed away. The family was all around him and as they promised, his pain was managed so the ending was peaceful.

Everything since then has been like Alice going through the looking glass. It's a whole different world. We had a memorial service that I feel properly honored his life. Many friends and associates came and had wonderful things to say about their memories of him. My family and friends have been very supportive of me. It's only been this past weekend that I've finally been alone in my house.

The quiet in my house is soooo quiet. I had gotten accustomed to the constant hum of the oxygen machine for my husband so when that was taken away it seemed strange. I got a humidifier going in my bedroom and the noise that it makes is oddly comforting.

Artistically I've been in a funk. Occasionally I'll doodle on the edge of a piece of paper, but I haven't really been able to focus enough to really get something done. I'm hopeful that will change soon so please bear with me until that time comes.

The piece that is shown above is one that I did a while back. My husband told me it was one of his favorites so I posted it here for him. It's a color stack that uses several different colored tiles that go from 6"x6" down to 2"x2".

I'll  miss you Ed.