For over 40 years I’ve been bouncing around the countryside, and in each town, city or village,  I was immersed in their Arts community.  Dawson Creek, BC was where I firstr became enamoured with rocks-their Lapidary guild was a treasure trove of information and inspiration.  Our trips to the south usuallty involved carting back boxes spilling over with rocks-really, really heavy ones.  The photo here is one of the few pieces I kept from this time.  It’s a moss Jasper agate, and it originally went into a silver broach finding. Since I’m not exactly a “broach” type, it’s been repurposed into this necklace, along with some Viking Knit silver wire.  Sure wish I’d saved more of those finished stones…

This was also where I first tried throwing clay-that turned into a life-long love affair with pottery that continues to this day.  Although I no longer practice, I sure support and admire the works of those that do!

Our next move was to the Hazeltons – stunningly beautiful and so rich in Native culture. My pottery pieces from that time reflect the strong influence of the carvers and artists who so willingly shared their talents and encourged and supported mine.  I’ll always remember the Hazeltons as the place that has no sense of time or schedules….many nights my husband would come home after a late shift at 3:00 a.m. only to find half a dozen ladies parked around the wood stove in the basement-buying pottery and chatting away, and cetainly in no hurry to leave.  We saw lots of sunrises in those days, as I waved goodby when they finally headed home.