well today is back to my first full day of work since early December. Mom is feeling much better and although the kids have totally thrown off my sleep schedule - chatting until 3am and then sleeping until 10 - that's me, they sleep till noon. It has been a total delight to have them all home. We had a wonderful, albeit low-key Christmas.

merry christmas!

go by and see the exhibit at the US Botanic Garden, beautiful plants, a wonderful photography exhibit by Barbara Southworth and Roger Foley, trains and sweet kids.

Last week I slipped out of work and went by Osuna Gallery in Bethesda they had on exhibit The Washington Women Show. How fun was that?

The first work I see is by Francie Hester the gorgeous Vestige 26, acrylic and wax on aluminum. This prompted me to email her - we knew each other over twenty years ago when she ran the New Art Center and I had a gallery next door in the Takoma Metro Art Center.

Inside I saw Andrea Way's lovely ink and acrylic Slipstream (Her charming Cicada print is a favorite in the NIH collection) and photographer Claudia Smigrod who we exhibited when I was working with the Atheneaum.

The most surprising was Bernis von zur Muehlen who taught at my elementary school (Willston) when I was in the 6th grade. I remember we threw her a surprise party in her home and even at that young age I was amazed by her and her husband's photography.

It is a delightful show - thoughtful. It somehow sidesteps being a "Women's Show" . I didn't even realize it until I picked up a gallery sheet as I was leaving. Its well curated and quite obviously full of artists who don't get enough exposure. So go see it even if you don't have a myriad of emotional connections to the artwork. Up through Jan 5. I'm not sure what the holiday hours are so you might want to call first. 301 654 4500.

Anne Leighton Massoni at Smith Farm Center for Healing and the Arts in January

I do not have cancer. My breasts are gone and so are my ovaries. But I do not have cancer. I am one of the lucky ones. Last year, I lost my second cousin Dana to ovarian cancer. She was in her late forties. Her mother - my cousin Gloria – was first diagnosed with breast cancer at thirty-six. Her second diagnosis came at fifty-four. Twice a survivor of breast cancer, she fought her last battle at sixty with ovarian cancer. My own mother died of ovarian cancer at fifty-six. All three of her sisters had breast or ovarian cancer. Only one is alive today – she is eighty-eight years old and a survivor.

Cancer is serious business in our family. Dana was the first to undergo genetic counseling. She confirmed the presence of the gene we suspected was lurking in the family tree – BRCA1. I spoke with Dana the day before she got her results. She had already been diagnosed with ovarian cancer and her treatment was underway. She wondered what she would do if the gene was present. She had no children of her own but was concerned for her younger sisters and the many cousins who would suddenly have Pandora’s box flung wide open.

There was never any question for me about what I would do. I called Dana’s genetic counselor and arranged an immediate appointment. I went through testing and counseling and learned I carried the gene as well. With the support of my husband, I decided to have a double mastectomy. I made this choice with no hesitation.

Slowly, others in the family chose testing too and the results were disheartening. Four out of five tested carried the mutant gene. In an ironic twist of fate, we learned that our cousin Betsy – Gloria’s sister – did not. Years earlier, she had undergone a prophylactic mastectomy following her sister’s death but before genetic testing was readily available. She has no regrets – her three daughters are safe.

All four of us chose surgery. Three faced two surgeries – a hysterectomy with bi-lateral oophorectomy and a double mastectomy. I required only one as my ovaries had been removed prophylactically twenty years ago by my very forward thinking gynecologist who knowing my mother’s history recommended a proactive stance.

None of this has been easy – for any of us. Breast reconstruction was without complication for three of the four. But my younger sister had numerous setbacks and multiple surgeries before ultimately choosing to have her implants removed. Surgically induced menopause is hard on women especially those in their thirties and studies indicate there may be complications later in life. It saddens me that such drastic measures were the wisest course of action available to us but at least we had options to consider and for that I am grateful. I remain hopeful that a cure will be found for breast and ovarian cancer. In the meantime, the continuing work of dedicated researchers and clinicians daily improves the quality of treatment and the chances for remission among those battling breast and ovarian cancer. There is hope.

But I must confess, nothing has prepared me for the heartache I feel for my children. Their chances of inheriting BRCA1 are fifty/fifty. I trust they will make intelligent choices to safeguard their long-term health. My only daughter will be thirty-five years old in January. She is childless. Based on statistical data it will be necessary for her to make a series of decisions in the near future that would make Solomon quake.

Nothing has prepared me for this heartache. I do not have cancer. I am one of the lucky ones. I pray she will be spared too.

Carla Massoni

In today's washington post

Common Symptoms Can Deceive

By Sandra G. Boodman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, December 11, 2007

All her life, Jamie Fear's gut had been her proverbial Achilles' heel. When other people contracted colds or other respiratory infections, she got stomach viruses. She tried to baby her digestive system and learned to live with her sensitive stomach.
But when her symptoms increased in the mid-1990s and she noticed a persistently tender spot on the lower right side of her abdomen, Fear began a series of visits to her HMO.

rest of the article here

Don's artwork from this series was first exhibited at Smith Farm Center for Healing and the Arts and is in the permanent collection of NIH.

ARTINFO

MIAMI—ARTINFO wanted to know what it was like to be a rich collector, and what it was like to be a very rich collector. So we asked two writers to go on virtual shopping sprees at Art Basel. We gave Judd Tully a considerable amount ($10,000,000) and Robert Ayers a much more modest sum ($10,000), and asked them each to come home with no more than six works.

Pretty interesting, to see click here

I missed Gabe's game, they lost to West Springfield 4-2

Mom has been sick so Gretch and I have been spending time with her making sure she drinks plents of fluids, gets up and moves around. I haven't been able to work on my laptop so all my posts have been from emails. (good thing Tim has a lot to say...) Here are some images from Mom's house, the litho was from my Senior show in college, I was doing Mother & Child themed work and Bill Tulp's (not sure any more if that's his last name) imagery -American Indians. The Lil and Bill show. Below a raku beloved bowl I made.

this in from Camille Mosley-Pasley

For over 30 years Market 5 Gallery has operated in the north hall of Washington, DC's historic Eastern Market as an alternative art space. Despite the fact that the space has no indoor plumbing or climate control, this non profit arts organization has thrived and launched many a career in the arts. A few years ago, Market 5 went to court to fight an illegal eviction by the city. The case was settled out of court but the rent was raised almost 10 fold with the promise of indoor plumbing, heat, an upgraded electrical system and other improvements to bring the entire market up to code. Now that improvements are underway on the south hall of the market, the city is trying to illegally evict Market 5 Gallery again.

Please help the gallery by signing a petition to stop this eviction. Please forward this information to friends and family that are familiar with the gallery and its programs.

Go to http://market5gallery.org for information about the gallery.
Go to http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/savemarket5galleryto sign the petition.
Camille Mosley-Pasley

I exhibited at Market 5 over 20 years ago, part of a group show of employees of Tolley Studios. Figure drawings I had done at an open studio at the Smithsonian. If I can find one I'll post it.

more from FLOW

“Word Queens” are constructed from a mesh of intertwining letters taken from poems by Emily Dickinson and Tom Slay.

This in from Target Gallery

Please join us next Thursday, December 13 for a chocolate and champagne reception

Molded Earth: Contemporary Ceramics

December 13- January 20, 2008
Reception: Thursday, December 13, 6:30-8pm
Gallery Talk: Juror, Judith Weisman, 7pm

Target Gallery would like to invite you to join us as we celebrate the opening of our new exhibition, Molded Earth. Next Thursday during our second Thursday art night event, "Decadent December", we will have a chocolate and champagne reception to meet the artists and listen to local DC art collector and ceramics expert, Judith Weisman, speak about her selections at 7pm. Ms. Weisman chose 20 works out of 185 submitted for consideration by artists from all over the country. She has chosen an interesting array of work that encompasses ceramics that range in size between intimate to large scale installation pieces.


Target Gallery National exhibition space of the Torpedo Factory Art Center
105 North Union Street
Old Town Alexandria on the waterfront
703.838.4565x4
targetgallery@torpedofactory.org

well I'm home early today, after a busy weekend. Gretch and I did some shopping at the Torpedo Factory pottery sale and then Sharon and the twins came over on Sunday to watch that godawful skins game. I'm trying to get a little painting finished while things are quiet.

What a week!

we have been trying to settle on an opening date for our first show in the new SF gallery - with planning around the construction (and the inevitable delays) and Novie's residence in Wales, Shanti's conference in California and everyone else schedules, led to a myriad of emails and phone calls.


Then there was the show which opens today that was caught up in customs in Chicago until yesterday afternoon. Yep that was a little too close for comfort.


The high school called on Wednesday evening in a panic with a jersey that needed to be framed for the dedication of the new gym tonight

and finally the 2500.00 painting we shipped to California which on the tracking number stayed in Richmond for days.

The opening is May 9
The Hands of Hope exhibit was installed
Ray is working on the frames as I write this
The painting was delivered yesterday.

These my friend are art emergencies.

This Saturday, December 1 from 6:30 – 8:30pm Pyramid Atlantic wants to invite you to attend the art opening for our exhibitions

Continuum: Innovative Prints from Pyramid Atlantic 1992-2007,
Genetics: Heredity and Variation in Books from VSW Press,
(Dis) Location, (Dis) Connection, (Dis) Embodiment

During the opening, the curator of the Continuum exhibit, Katherine Blood, Curator of Fine Prints, Library of Congress, Washington, DC, will give a walking tour of the show discussing the significance of these works to Pyramid Atlantic’s twenty-seven year history.

Also, this night will mark a time of transition as Helen Frederick, Founding and Executive Artistic Director of Pyramid Atlantic, steps down and assumes a new role as Director Emeritus. We welcome new Executive Director, Jose Dominguez, a veteran of the area’s non-profit community who brings more than fifteen years of extensive experience in non-profit management, and youth program development, to our organization. Please come and honor Helen and her tremendous contribution to Pyramid Atlantic as well as meet Jose.

web site here

Eileen made these charming little snowmen, bookmarks for her bible group

Go Titans!

It has been more than a year since the TC Williams boys hockey team tasted the sweet nectar of success. But the spigot opened wide Friday night, as the Titans beat the Bishop O'Connell JV by 11-1 at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex. The victory broke a 20-game losing streak dating to October 2006, and opened the Titans Northern Virginia Scholastic Hockey League season on a strong note.
The Titans dominated the ice from the opening face-off, but couldn't score until senior center Gabe Fitzgerald sent a rising wrist shot past Knights goalie Robert Ross with 4:32 left in the first period. The tally opened a three-minute, five-goal deluge, with scores from senior wing John Heinz, junior center Cal Purdy, junior wing Matt Franklin, and a second score from Fitzgerald, who finished the game with a hat trick. The Titans later added goals from sophomore defenseman Matt Crawley, senior defenseman Robert Purdy, senior center Ben Malakoff, and freshman defenseman Liam Malakoff.
Senior Daniel Lefevre, normally a center, started his first game in goal and faced just 9 shots. Marc Perez scored the Knights lone goal.
Team notes: Ben Malakoff was named team captain prior the game. Robert Purdy and Gabe Fitzgerald were named alternate captains.
Thanks David Malakoff for the writeup! Unbelievably I forgot my camera.