Update

October 11, 2025

I turned 74 today, hard for me to believe. I have lived longer than both my parents, however I doubt I will make it to my grandmother’s (father’s side) or my grandfather’s (mother’s side) ages. Thanks to Renee Phillips of Manhattan Arts International, I have begun to paint again. I’ve done several seascapes, and one or two flowers, mostly in alcohol inks. However, for my birthday, a good friend gave me pan pastels, so one of my seascapes will become a mixed media painting. I am also working on trying to put a collage piece together. I have more than about 11 pieces of paintings that would all go together, if only I could figure out how. I may have to do it digitially. You can see these pieces on one of my reels on Instagram.

I had my infusion on October 9th. Alas, so far I still feel like I am juggling— except instead of actually juggling something with my hands, I feel that body parts of me are being juggled in the air. I can’t feel my fingers, my eyes, my head or much of anything. And, thus, to walk, I tell myself to walk. When I eat I taste the food but I don’t feel myself eating it. Bizarre, don’t you think?

Do you have an idea of something you would like me to paint? Would you like to see flowers, or buildings? Or perhaps you would like to see one of my jam packed pieces where there are buildings and people and more. I think of these as my stories.

I wish you all well, and do remember you can email me.

As of September 29, 2025

In August or some time that I didn’t record, I named this writing “Site Update”. I probably did this because I was changing some of the work that I had done, or added awards, or something. My web designer, graphic designer, and “reel” expert, Nate Vaughan will be working on the pictures etc. And while I would like a different design, I can’t conceive of one, nor probably afford to have the design changed.

Today, I will use this space to write about the last few months. All of a sudden it is October. I do apologize for whatever is wrong with me or such.

My Instagram and Facebook visitors, friends, and colleagues know that I have not been painting as much as I used to do. I do post some photographs, however, not as often as I would like. And thus, my sites’ ratings have gone down…drastically DOWN.

I so think that the artists and writers of long ago were very lucky. I know that some of my friends who studied with Jim Feely at Lindenwood College, know that from the middle ages (gasp) through to about 1960, hmm maybe 1976, these men and few women didn’t really have any social media other than broadsides, or printed issues.

Hence, I can assure you all that the faculty adviser for the college’s Griffin. as hard as he told us we needed to do better, or we could not “dream of pubishing that paragraph with that four letter word”, he was not anywhere near as much trouble as the social media ‘gurus’ of today. At a time with no email, cell phones, computers or heavens, ipads, our faculty advisors talked to and with us. Facebook and Instagram threaten us.

I do love social media and the ability to connect with people. I don’t mind those who ask me what has happened to my art or photos or writing. However, I do mind Instagram and others threatening to take my work down, or those who can actually pretend to be Facebook.

My last few months have been extremely difficult for me. MS is a difficult disease for all who have it. From 1995 through 2008, my time with MS was not too bad. I only lost my eyesight a few times. Oh, on occasions I might not remember how to put on a dog’s gentle leader; I might be silly or not paying attention and I thus did not know which way was uptown and downtown off certain subways.

Except when 9/11 happened, I always knew where I was. I could speak and talk about things. I could tell stories. Much to my students’ dismay, I could grade papers and teach my classes. I could speak to parents and Deans. And gasp, yes, I could defend my doctoral dissertation.

Okay.Nineteen years have past since this. While I may have thought 73 was old when I was in my 30’s, I don’t think it is old now. I know I don’t have Alzheimer’s, but I do know that I have changed a lot in less than 3 months. I don’t know why, and alas, I don’t expect my doctors to know .

I have gone from balance problems and falling down once in a month to falling once every other day. I have had speech problems, where even I don’t know what I said. And even though I wear hearing aids, I don’t often understand everything I hear or understand what I read.

Even Snoopy sometimes,makes me pause. The only good thing is I do not have to read the front pages of the newspaper. I didn’t vote for this administration, and I don’t want to know what is going on. I look at it and sigh.

I can barely walk without a cane or without rolling somehow. And unlike the rest of you, I will at times use AI to help me write—the difference is, AI can read what I wrote, and make some changes that make sense. And AI, can make it sound like I wrote it, as opposed to editors who rewrite.

,However, I have kept my wicked sense of humor. Every so often, I will make someone laugh. And if I can’t do that, I stay away from most everyone.

And so, instead of doing art, I read about art. I look at museums online. I apologize to online teachers as to why I am behind, and may stay behind. I do not often show this work, because for once I am following what someone teaches. But I only WANTED to do a bit of theirs. I don’t want to be them, even though they are known everywhere and sell well.

And so, this is where I am. I don’t often post, because I am still trying to be, me. My art has changed since 2008, but while some think I am an abstract artist, I don’t think that. I do story art.

Please stay tuned. I hope my infusion scheduled on October 9, 2025 will work. Two days after my infusion I turn 74. It would be nice if I come back to being who I am.

As of August (?) 2025

While I consider myself a professional artist, my website reflects a different approach. The traditional “artist statement” doesn’t resonate with me or my art. To me, an artist statement is only as valuable as the moment it was written; all others are mere memoirs or biographies. Mine is simply a historical account. Consequently, while people can read an artist statement, I’ve decided to retitle it as “My History” or something similar.

 As many of you are aware, I was diagnosed with MS in 1995. By 2008, my condition had made it impossible for me to perform the tasks I had been doing for so long (refer to my CV). In an attempt to cope, I enrolled in a watercolor class and, unexpectedly, found myself drawn to art.

My mixed media art has garnered me numerous awards of which  I am proud. I have had exhibitions in North Carolina and Texas. Along with my work being showcased in various platforms, I have won awards online.

 In 2023, I participated in a local art show, submitting both a painting and a photograph. When the photograph was awarded second place, I decided to show more work. Both photographs and paintings will be on the same website.

My work now will encompass a diverse range of styles. I understand that many of you have a preference for specific types of my work, but my MS often limits my ability to create them. Believe it or not, alcohol ink doesn’t spontaneously generate colors.

I admire the artists on Instagram, and particularly their reels and other creative content. However, in the coming month or so, you’ll likely see my puppy more frequently than my art. Puppies take even more time than mixed media!

During an MS relapse four weeks ago, I primarily saw only shades of grey or dark colors. My vision improved somewhat before traveling to Virginia, but this period was significant. Upon my return, I took Solumedrol for three days and am now gradually reducing my prednisone dosage to prevent a crash.

From now on, my work will truly reflect how my health affects my capabilities, not what websites or contests dictate. When I’m feeling well, I’m delighted to create good art. But as Flo Fox my MS photographer demonstrated my photography often turns out well, even when my vision isn’t at its best.

Unfortunately, Facebook and its algorithm may be displeased with this change. I may miss out on certain shows or opportunities, but I’m determined to pursue my artistic passions.

I firmly believe that my MS has shaped me into the artist I am today. In college, I wrote poetry and enjoyed art history, but I never considered myself an artist.

I hope you’ll continue to support me on this journey.