Turning 70 - Vision for this Decade

Yesterday was my 70th Birthday.  Somehow that number seems overwhelming.  Rarely have I given much thought to my age.  But the past few days, as my birthday approached, I found myself getting quieter, to myself and a bit down.  Last night I attended a program of New Mexico Women in Film on Social Media. And to my delight I found myself re-energized, enthusiastic and looking forward to entering this decade with an exciting reworking of my mission and vision!

Besides family and friends, my life is focused on two passions: my work as a visual artist; and my role as President, Producer/Co-Director of Healing Voices-Personal Stories.

As a visual artist I see myself striving to create outstanding paintings that celebrate nature and abstract works inspired by music.  While my originals are created mainly in oils I have recently discovered dye sublimation enabling me to print some of my original art on tiles that sell at affordable prices.  I'll be sharing more about that in future blogs.  I'm showing both my originals and copies on tiles and tea towels at The Hillside Market in Santa Fe.

As President of Healing Voices-Personal Stories I am committed to creating films about domestic violence survivors as models for victims.  Key goals are to increase public awareness of domestic violence and to help victims to find a way out to rebuild their lives.

How exciting to have these two passions in my life and to know that as I enter this new decade I can do so with a renewed enthusiasm.  A special thank you to Robin Roffer, Kalyn Bastion of Social Media Pathways and Jordan Guenther, digital media manager of the New Mexico Tourism Office, for their excellent presentation last evening.

Starting a new nonprofit organization: Healing Voices - Personal Stories

For the past two months I have been busy starting a new nonprofit organization called Healing Voices - Personal Stories.  Creative juices are flowing and I'm excited about this new project.  Of course I'm still painting but as I have mentioned in this blog before, I'm missing the collaborations that directing the Avodah Dance Ensemble provided.   Now I've found the collaborations in a new way.

I've been sharing the fun that I have been having exploring the film industry here in New Mexico and how much I have enjoyed being directed.

Now this has taken me in a new direction.  Motivated by my work leading dance workshops in women's prison I am part of a founding board of Healing Voices - Personal Stories where we hope to create and distribute films to raise public awareness of women's striving to overcome abusive trauma.  Our organization now has a beginning website and a blog that I will be posting on every few days.  I hope that some of the subscribers to our Author and Artist blog will subscribe to Healing Voices - Personal Stories too.

Murray and I will continue to blog here as well.