Gallery at Redlands. Palestine, Texas

Cogito ergo sum (Descartes)

Creo ergo sum (Tripp)

Life has handed me yet another gift. A month ago, I was happily settled into the retired life and adjusting to dividng time between work as a gallerist and that of an artist. Though not in the classroom for four years, I continued to read in my academic fields, because the lifestyle had suited me all those years, and serious reading and thinking contributed to my art.

A few weeks ago, Texas Wesleyan University came calling after a four-semester hiatus. I had never felt comfortable leaving that campus, but adjunct instructors can only wait for contract offers, and I felt that with the advent of COVID those offers would be no more. With the surprise phone call, a Humanities online course was offered and I accepted. Then, a couple of weeks later, an Ethics lecture course was offered in addition. I was grateful to be trusted with the responsibility and accepted. Then, this week, a third course was offered, another Ethics lecture spot. Suddenly, I am saddled with a three-quarter time university faculty load. For two weeks I have absolutely relished time spent in the prior two courses, and as it turns out, the new Ethics course can mirror the one I already have in progress. More grading of course, but not extra prep time for lectures.

René Descartes is famous for his dictum "I think therefore I am." As an educator I have loved the life of the mind and have wanted life as a thinker to ground my art endeavors. But now I've decided to fashion the Latin phrase for "I create therefore I am." Making art has defined me my entire life, truly my raison d'etre.

So, Thursday morning finds me settled into The Gallery at Redlands. I drove down this morning, arriving around 9:00. Some details need to be tended, then I will turn my attention to the new painting I've been planning for days. Stay tuned . . .

Thanks for reading.

I make art in order to discover.

I journal when I feel alone.

I blog to remind myself I am not alone.

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