Her New World

Covid did a number on community-based artnepreneurs like myself. Markets were out, of course. And the whole lockdown pretty much coincided with my technical coming-of-retirement-age. I succumbed, I guess, figuring it was destiny.

It was during this time that I committed myself to creating fine art.  I took the fundamental courses for Houston's museum art school, then printing classes.

Enjoyed it — and learned SO much. But I found myself in the same quandary I had been in, way back in my first years of college. Was I really an artist? Everyone seemed more passionate than me. Took me back to those conversations in 1972 when my fellow art students were deciding whether to buy cigarettes or oil paints. To me, there was no decision: cigarettes. Not enough fire in the belly, in '72 or in 2022. 

But then we emerged from the pandemic. And retail was back, markets were back, more plentiful than ever. I decided to do what I called a "last run," really to use up all the stock I had in the studio, and dip my toe back in the water. 

My first season back — boy! was I in for a shock. Over the lockdown years, things changed in my tiny screen printing / textile / fabricating world. The suppliers changed, the ink formulas changed, my supplies exceeded their expiration date, my equipment aged, websites and online selling evolved, etc., etc. It was like starting from scratch.

New school
I re-enrolled in printing classes and even had a good idea of where my textile printing / manipulation direction would take me, but the truth was, retail was calling me. I missed the world of creating and selling hard goods that people used every day. Why? It's beyond me!

So, we're back. It's getting easier. We're figuring out how to work in this new terrain. .  And, wonder of wonders, we feel welcome. We've missed you!

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It felt like time to diversity from plants and insects, and apparently it was, because the first stream of consciousness images for this year's towels focused on another obsession, fashion. 
Introducing the Beyond Her Paper Dolls Collection, new for 2023.
Don't worry — plenty of nature still in the rest of our world. 

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