Having started my blog some time ago, I’ve been meaning to get back to it awhile, and hope to be much more consistent. Weekly seems a good start, though I’ve heard 2-3 times a week is recommended. We will see if I have enough to share that is new that often!

I have been on a different sort of creative journey in recent years as I’ve been sorting through what to do with myself while not working full-time as an architect. I’ve stayed involved in the profession by  participating in many organizations where I regularly read, learn and see architecture and landscape architecture and where I receive lots of continuing education, and I’ve been able to work as a consultant to other architects, but have also been exploring other talents and interests. Thankfully, I’ve been able to do quite a bit of art, and it has been a blessing. On Friday, October 4th, I celebrated having two pieces in the Fall NM Watercolor Society Exhibition that was juried by Ted Nuttal.  Saturday, October 12th, was the opening of “Ecclectic Beauty” at the Tortuga Gallery here in Albuquerque where I am one of five featured artists.  During the last two years, I have created a couple sets of note cards that are currently featured at Los Poblanos Farm (cards of that location) and Plants of the Southwest (a botanical set including mostly agave images as well as one iris). Currently, I am negotiating with at least one more retail establishment that may also carry my cards soon. Earlier this year, I also started offering a series of sketching classes, in conjunction with my talented colleague Terry Brown, FAIA at Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm.

My recent creative journey has been one of innovation and entrepreneurship, requiring me to learn many new things, but it’s been a fun one and as people often say, I’m grateful to have multiple talents to draw on (no pun intended) in this more challenging economy.  I find it interesting that sometimes people want to keep me in the box of “architect,” though I have almost always had other things going on in my life including art and music. In a recent marketing group meeting, I actually had to argue with a woman about art being part of my business.  She insisted that art was a hobby and that architecture was my business, as if I myself didn’t know better.  This experience made me wonder if people like Leonardo DaVinci or Thomas Jefferson had to deal with people in this way.  Certainly they were men who not only pursued, but excelled at many different interests in their lifetimes.  Curious, I looked up how long these two men lived, and found it more amazing that Leonardo DaVinci accomplished all he did in just 68 years, while Thomas Jefferson lived to be 87.  Seems to me that many people in today’s society wind down in life far earlier than they should, and that many people are capable of accomplishing so much more.