Award, New Title/Job, and the Opera

This has been a crazy year for me so far, but I'm living the dream! I found out on Jan. 6th, that I got the art instructor job at Michaels (which I've been over the moon excited about and feverishly preparing and planning for).

Then last Saturday night, I was elected Vice President for the Lincoln Artists' Guild, which is such an amazing honor. I've been a member of this amazing organization since 2009 and have thrived in the atmosphere of encouragement and creativity the over 100 year old group has. Before I was in the guild, I was a hobby artist, but barely. I rarely finished anything and didn't even try to be original in my work. I loved art, but I had no direction or drive to do anything with it. In the guild, I was encouraged to participate in group shows and competitions that the guild sponsors for its members; and the challenges, though terrifying at first, really pushed me to do my best. It has been a monumental part of my growth as an artist, and I am very grateful for it.

Tomorrow night there is a reception for the group from 5-8, at their gallery in the Out of the Box store on 48th and R, and on Feb. 7th, we're having our regular meeting. If you love art and dabble in it for fun, come and see what we're about!

Me with four of the five newly elected board members.

So, along with being elected as Vice President for LAG, I was also honored last Saturday, with a special award...

This Chicken Trophy is a prize to behold! ;) As part of our guild's annual Chinese New Year party, we had a Self Portrait contest of sorts, and mine won "Most Immediately Identifiable to the Artist."

And earlier that day, my husband treated me to a date at the opera...which I was a bit leery about. I love music--all kinds, especially classical, and I love musicals. But I really rather dislike movies with subtitles, so an entire three hour event where they only speak sing French, seemed like it would be hard to endure.

But I LOVED IT!

It was beautiful. The music was amazing. The costumes and acting were great, and the story, Romeo and Juliet, was, as always, incredibly romantic.

So I've fallen in love with another form of art. I can't wait to see another! (Thank goodness for husbands that stretch their wives out of their comfort zones.)