As you read in our first Origin Story about my mom, my childhood was filled with creative experiences and opportunities. My journey to the full-time, artistic work I share with Susie through LucyBlueKnits took a different route than I anticipated. In fact, I didn't set out to be a working artist. As they say, necessity is the mother of invention. My college degree is in exercise physiology, but when I became a mother, I wanted to find a way to generate income from home. I began apprenticing in Mom's litergical banner business in my 20's, and struck out on my own in my 30's. Mom taught me about the beauty of fabrics, their composition, textures, and properties. I learned how to integrate colors and shapes and use words as art to construct huge banners that not only were beautiful to look at, but infused with meaning. Banner work was satisfying but stressful. My clients were exacting, and the work felt like preforming rather than creating. When Susie and I started LucyBlueKnits, I felt myself exhale. No longer working under a critical eye, I was free to create any design I chose. In fact, designing is my favorite part of creating mittens. The beauty of the wool, its textures and patterns, and the often surprising way color combinations emerge in the studio keep me excited to continue experimenting as we make our products. Every day, my work as an artistic entrepreneur is confirmed by the process.
Family is as deeply woven into the fabric of my life as art. My husband Dave and I will celebrate our 36th wedding anniversary this summer. Our five kids are now married or engaged, and we have two amazing grandkids. Parenting them has been much like creating art: each one requires our best effort, focused energy, and greatest creativity. We wouldn't have it any other way.
Of course our dog Juno is part of the family too. She is a Newfypoo--part Newfoundland, part poodle. She has the brain of a Newfy (small) and the energy of a poodle (big), but we love her.
A perfect moment for me is sitting on my porch couch on a rainy day, drinking coffee and eating blueberry muffins with a dear friend. Our conversation is rich and my dog is curled in the crook of my knee.