13 January 2023

2022 Wrap-Up/2023 Prospects

2022 came with its delights and daily wonders despite it being a war zone. After much gnashing of teeth, our fair state of Michigan went BLUE in the mid-terms. My husband John & I fitfully ventured out of the nest to encounter a supposedly post-COVID world. We’ve been lucky to have evaded the plague so far, and every errand and activity away from home feels like playing Russian Roulette. Not much to be done re. the masses of unmasked travelers.

Defying the fear factor, I surprised myself by booking a number of gigs and risking all to mingle with dancers again and collaborate with some extraordinary artists & friends. I made works for Ballet Chelsea (Chelsea, MI), Crooked Tree School of Ballet (Petoskey, MI), Chapman University (Orange, CA) and Interlochen (MI). My two weeks with the Miami City Ballet in May was a joyful reminder of the pleasures of setting Martha Graham’s work on young dancers. An artist retreat in mid-June at an arts center near Interlochen, MI allowed me the studio space to paint more large murals and take long walks in the woods. Heaven. The previous weekend, the Great Lake Chamber Music Festival finally was able to screen my 24 short screendances to Schubert’s “Winterreise” with tenor Nick Phan and pianist Paul Watkins performing the music live from the stage of the Detroit Institute of Arts Film Auditorium. A few of my videos were included in various film festivals globally, (“Three Short Shorts” made it into three festivals) but I’ve slowed down a bit on that front while my obsessive painting has kept me in my backyard studio daily. I was lucky to book two solo exhibits of my paintings locally and enjoyed making a few significant sales. I keep saying that’s not the point, that after all I am a retiree with a hobby. But following in Norma Rae’s footsteps, it’s nice when someone really likes me! As co-class ambassador for my delayed 50^th high school reunion, I wallowed in nostalgia and the lovely fall colors at Interlochen while hugging my Arts Academy classmates ceaselessly. A real lovefest…. and more hugs at the Martha Graham Center’s celebration of Artistic Director Janet Eilber’s 50 years with the organization in December. I crashed the part and surprised Janet with a tribute that tracked our 56-year friendship as well as all of her formidable achievements.

Activities planned for 2023 include a residency at Cincinnati College-Conservatory’s Dance Department in March, a second residency at Parsons Center for Arts & Sciences in June, an exhibit of my paintings and curated dance showcase at Commongrounds, a new live/work space in Traverse City, a fourrth sollo show at 22 North Gallery in October, and my third guest choreographer stint with Petoskey’s Crooked Tree School of Ballet. I will fulfill a lifelong dream of choreographing “Waltz of the Flowers” for their Nutcracker season!

I’ll provide links to works made this past year and beyond:

Paintings 2018-2022: https://vimeo.com/305744774

Retrospective Sampler: https://vimeo.com/767771476

a@ru presentation: https://vimeo.com/765025205

Three Short Shorts: https://vimeo.com/677842447

Winterreise w music: https://vimeo.com/702956988 password: GLCMF

Lacrimoso: https://vimeo.com/687281614