Things are obscenely busy. My shows have been really successful, which is wonderful and I am grateful. It feels like I am constantly playing catch up for upcoming shows, which is exhausting. And doesn’t leave a lot of extra time for new creations.
I am wrapping up a large loon lightbox commission. I’ve really enjoyed this one and I’ll be sorry to see it move on at the end of July.
The shop is hopping. Summer is here and the pass-thru traffic is in full swing. My show schedule is updated and I am currently booking fall and holiday shows. I have a backlog of commissions currently that I am working through too.
Some exciting news…RRG&P will be moving in 2026. I’ve outgrown my current space and I’ll be moving to Hubbard Ave in Norwich and launching a larger project. Stay tuned for more info about that.
YOC Summer Update
Summer is in full bloom on the hill. It came fast this year. One day, I am watching the late snow melt..and the next I am watching the trees bloom.
Fledgeling season is wild right now. The babies are everywhere. Fluffy and awkward. All gangly necks and stumbling uncertain movements. My bluebirds have been very sociable this season and I’ve spotted them on the feeders a few times. In years past, I’ve had to watch their houses with my binoculars to catch quick looks at them. It’s been a joy to see them in the front trees with their babies.
All the birdhouses are practically shaking with the noise of baby birds. The chirping and screeching everytime their exhausted parent comes or goes.
I had a kildeer nest in the middle of my driveway for about 2 months. We flagged it off so it didn’t get run over by anyone. I swear it was cold and rained for the entirety of her nesting period. I felt awful watching her sit on that nest in the driving rain. One morning I woke up, and everything was just gone. No eggs and no baby kildeer, which is normal and just means that everyone was born and moved to a safer location.
The turkeys have relocated to the creek to have their own babies. I’ll occasionally see a few roaming around the property, but its rare right now.
Despite the flooding a few weeks ago, the ground is finally drying out. We had some late season cold snaps so everything is a little stunted this season. The fruit trees are struggling and didn’t have a true blooming period. I finally got my raspberry and blackberry beds started and added to the blueberry patch. The Elderberries I started last year are huge and close to 6ft tall. I’ve been reading about proper harvesting etc.
The window display has been updated twice and this is the first moment I’ve slowed down enough to discuss. I thought this would be a lazy year of adjustment and its actually been the complete opposite.
Until the next time….Happy Croning.
Year of the Crone Introduction
I’ve had so many thoughts about how I wanted to introduce this project. Some good, some awkward and some just messy. It’s all so personal. This project is basically me. It’s life, from the perspective of a 48 year old woman who is entering the early autumn of her life. I am the crone. The cabin represents my home, deeply saturated in nature and surrounded by the unseen world. What do I mean by that term, unseen world? For me, it’s the lives of all the creatures surrounding me. It’s the squirrel in it’s nest, the frog in its pond and all the birds in their houses. All of the potential dinner times and mornings. The families. These are all experiences I assign. They are pure fantasy…but it’s what I would wish for every living being. Love, safety, adventures and a home.
That being said, its going to get weird. Nothing will be to “scale”. Nothing will feel as it should, mostly. What you will experience is what I am envisioning in the moment. When my world is overcome in frog song, you’ll know it. When the robins have closed in on my sanctuary, you’ll know that too. I’m going to share as much as possible, in real time.
There is no general purpose to this project, other than to document this time of my life. To try and make something positive out of a challenging personal transformation.
Here on Pigeon Hill, spring comes slowly and then all at once. I’ve still got plenty of wintering to do. I’ll share updates, as they occur, here and on social media.
The first installment will feel underwhelming. Its winter. I really want to introduce the little glass cottage and the format. I am still working on landscaping elements that I will keep adding.
Right now, the turkeys are everything. My visiting rafter is usually around 12-13. I feed them a succulent mix of black sunflower seeds and corn. And I sing to them. The “Turkey Turkey Gobble Gobble” song lets them know that I am out tending to their demands. I can occasionally feel them looking at me from a small copse of trees. When I am out of the picture, they come creeping out. Awkward and gangly. Like a prehistoric creature. Not really beauty queens from the neck up, but their feathers are stunning. They are mostly timid and charming, with giant feets. I did a small re-creation of them in fused glass. Or a few of them, at least.
We’ve had a thaw recently, so the ground is peeking out here and there. The creeks are so swollen with rain and snow melt. March is tricksy and false. More snow is coming, I’m sure. I fused a few igloos to represent the wintery conditions. I’d love to get an ice block mold and build my own next winter.
The nights are still long and cold. My woodstove runs like a top and (in my mind) is elemental to my survival. I don’t have cable or internet so it’s either a book, DVD or I download something to my ipad before I leave town. I’ve been revisiting a lot of older movies, including the whole Rambo franchise. This is where the crone appears in 14 layers of clothing, cooking meat on the woodstove and watching John Rambo elude platoons of skilled assassins. It’s an enviable existence.
Thanks for reading and welcome to The Year of the Crone.
Love…
I’ve been working on Valentines Day stuff for my window display. Every year, I contemplate what I’ve learned about love that year. Some years have been great and some years have been an absolute dumpster fire. And some have changed everything.
At the wise old age of almost 48, I should say that you need to love someone who is your match. Someone who checks all the boxes. Perfect income, perfect body, perfect routine. Same hobbies and zero red flags. But, in reality, that would be a lie. Love the person you disagree with. The one with issues and baggage. The person with a barely contained storm. Perfection is a facade. Love the one who won’t let you go. Ever. If they can walk away, let them. Even if it kills you.
To summarize: it’s fitting that Cupid carries an arrow.
In the shop: I’m working on the 3D project for my Year of the Crone art installation. I’m not a fan of 3D work. It tends to feel bulky to me, which is the absolute anthesis of what I try to do with glass. I can see the parts and pieces in my mind. I can see how it SHOULD come together…and then there is reality. I’m not an engineer, which becomes completely apparent. The good part about this project is that it needs to look a little wanky, and I can do wanky all.day.long.
Me: I’m surviving winter. I finally found a winter sport that I like and doesn’t involve skiing. Snowshoeing is fun and non-intrusive. I get to trudge around and look at pretty winter scenery. Zero complaints.
I hope this finds everyone well. Thanks for reading.
-M
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A fresh start…
So, I’m in a new town and it’s the beginning of the year. It seems like a good time to start blogging again. I’ve been pretty quiet on social media, as I’ve been striving towards some goals here at RRG&P. I love the idea of this media space to keep you updated on my projects and whatever is on my mind. Buckle up and enjoy the disjointed, awkward and inappropriate ride.
The shop: To catch you up, I relocated my studio from Syracuse NY to Norwich NY in Sept of 2024. I have a cabin outside of the city on Pigeon Hill, and it’s where I ultimately want to retire. Finding a dedicated studio space in a small town was difficult and I decided to try a mixed use retail and studio space model. I had to downsize significantly to fit in this shop and have a small retail space allotment. Merchandising has been an interesting adventure and I’m still refining my skills in that area. Im looking forward to the warmer months and being able to interact more with the community. I want people to feel comfortable wandering in and watching how I create. Norwich is a very artistic leaning town. We have the blues festival and other music-centric endeavors. Colorscape Chenango Arts Festival is a top tier gathering of amazing artists that occurs here every September too. I’m hoping that I can have my own small impact here as a lone artist with a passion for sharing my process and keeping an open door mentality.
Winter: It’s been brutal and a really hard landing for my first winter down here full time. But it’s so pretty. Like, jaw droppingly beautiful. I never stop wanting to pull over and take pictures of the sheer raw beauty. It’s stunning and a small reflection of the gorgeous scenery that Chenango County offers seasonally. So, I get up and slide down my harrowing driveway without complaint and commute along the creek while watching for deer. Happily and with gratitude.
2024 The Year of the Crone: I’m turning 48 in a few weeks and I’m feeling crone-ish. I hang out in my cabin. I talk to the birds and the animals. I read so many books and obsess over my wood stove. The fucks that I give on a daily basis are basically none. I’m taking all that energy and pouring it into my creativity this year. I have two lovely shop windows and I’m dedicating one to an art installation. My goal is to have a base installation, comprised of 85% handmade material, that I will change with the season and holidays. I’m currently working on the centerpiece and I’ll keep you updated. There will also be other individual projects that will reflect this theme of nature and how I see the natural world.
On my board: I’m currently working on the previously mentioned centerpiece and a large rooster panel that will be available when completed. And all the Valentine’s Day things. Because you know it’s my favorite holiday.
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More soon. Thanks for reading and stopping by.
