I am only weeks out from a life-changing trip to Rwanda. This is a country where 5% of the population is on the grid for electricity. A place where the gift of ball point pens are received like deposits of pure gold. I tried to explain everywhere I went that I am an artist, but this word received little to no recognition. Even toting my books via motorbike over vast kilometers of dark red dirt and hot bright sun, the real attraction was the words on the page, not my illustrations.

There is one sad thing about working in my studio at home: the isolation. While the proximity means my work is always available, too often I am pulled away by other demands (hello internet!). While the quiet encourages introspection, too often I end up having conversations with myself. I miss the concentration of knowing I have THIS time and THIS time only. I miss the community of spirit that broadens my perspectives. Often I yearn for a spot where I can discuss the meat of hand work: design, repetition, color, scale, form. Where I can gain another's perspective.

Last year, I attended the Blogher Session about blogging as a visual medium with Tracey Clark, Renee Garner, Keri Smith, Gayla Trail and a few others. The session was entitled Blogging is More Than Words, but in no time at all the conversation to turned to money.

This past week I keep noticing fabulous pieces of art being shown on the blogs.  Each one a fabulous treat.. a sweet and special piece of eye candy.  And calorie free! Juliane Lofquist-Birch is participating in a Blog Give-away. Visit a participating blog and possibly win a piece a gorgeous little piece of art like the collage Juliane made.

Am I the only one who hasn't posted a video on YouTube yet?  It seems like everybody's there.  Even the Queen of England has her own channel.  And I don't mean Helen Mirren.  It's getting to a point where saying that you haven't posted on YouTube is like saying you've never done a Google search.  Was it just ten years ago that we were marveling at cell phones that took pictures?  Things are moving entirely too fast for me.  But part of my beat with my new gig at BlogHer is to cover the goings on over at YouTube.  So I'll make an effort to keep up.  Here's a round up of what I've been viewing lately.

At first I wasn't gong to do this. I was tired and internally moaning about my work is crap and other people do it better and I need a nap and it is just too much. This is a clear indication that there are other areas in my life that are bothering me. Shooting and editing video are good things that I need to do more of, not less. One of the good things about National Blog/Vlog Posting Month is the constant re-statement, it doesn't have to be good, perfect or life transformative. You just gotta do it.

Maki-age is a shibori dye technique where you stitch and bind a pattern into cloth before dyeing it. Traditionally the bound fabric was dyed with indigo, now it might be dyed with any color, discharged instead of dyed.  This is an example of an expertly done maki-age square.

This week I wandered through the blogosphere with a post from Rulemanes para Telémaco as a starting point. Iria Puyosa explains here her thought process about internet memes. She listed eight quotes important to her, but refuses to play the "5 Blogs that make me think" or Thinking Blogger Award meme, which she was tagged with or awarded by another Venezuelan blogger, Kira, or K-Minos.

This Monday marks my start as a Blogher Contributing Editor in the area of Art and Design. I'm very excited about this opportunity to highlight all the ways women are using their blogs not only as a visual medium but also as a place to illuminate the process of creating and sharing that work with the world. If you see something intriguing, creative or just plain beautiful when it comes to Art and Design, please feel free to pass your favorite links along.