It's a stormy weekend here in Tulsa and I have been pondering how the dramatic weather here is mirroring my settling in.  One day it's 80 and sunny; the next it's 50 and cloudy; then the swirling gray skies open up to drop inches of rain.  All these actions are necessary and each comes with pros and cons.  For me, one day is filled with progress and inspiration, quickly followed by tedious chores and paperwork.  That's life, right?  

Last week I got to have a ZOOM session with my gals, The Well.  The Well is a small collective of artist friends who gather to support, inspire, and empower one another.  We are not competitive and are genuinely rooting for each other's success.  In this last session, the word "duality" came up- happy/sad, opportunity/anxiety, safe/stagnant, you get the idea.  2 of us (exactly 1/2 of The Well) have relocated, or are relocating to entirely new communities, which brings duality to the forefront.  The excitement of starting fresh in a new space opens so many possibilities while also letting in the fear and isolation of starting over.  I have been tumbling "duality" around in my brain all week and have come to the conclusion that it's just a part of life.  I do acknowledge how trite that sounds, but duality has been part of my art vocabulary for a few years now.  You see, I created a piece called "The Nest" that speaks to the duality of a nest being comforting, yet confining and the internal struggle that arises when leaving said space.  I love this piece.  I am proud of this piece.  She was juried into my first national show (A Sense of Place); then juried into the Southeast's most engaging art competition (Artfields); and was part of my portfolio that earned me entrance into the National Association of Women Artists as a Signature Member.  Embarking on this new adventure in a new community is a leap of faith much like stepping over the edge of one's nest.  So as I sit and listen to the rain pounding down once again, I will think how happy our new plants will be and try hard not to think about the flooded patio!  Duality.