This mask my very first piece of wearable quilled art, and since today is Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras, I felt that it was fitting to bring this little bit of experimental art back out.

About seven years ago, my family and I took a road trip out to South Carolina over Thanksgiving Break with a stop over in New Orleans to celebrate Thanksgiving Day.

New Orleans in November was pretty tame compared to New Orleans during Mardi Gras, but there was still a lot of fun to be had walking around the French Quarter and Bourbon Street, stopping by Lafayette Cemetery and Louis Armstrong Park. The energy of the city was intoxicating, and it wasn’t just the booze you could carry around with you from place to place. I fell in love with the architecture, the history, the music, art, culture of New Orleans, and every day since that trip I’ve wanted to go back. It would be so incredibly awesome if I could somehow get a place out there for a few months and really immerse myself in vibe of the place and make art.

Fat Tuesday isn’t the only reason I’m thinking back on my trip to New Orleans.

Today is the last day before Lent, and while I don’t participate in religious aspects of Lent, this year I feel inspired to observe Lent in my own way.

For me, art is a very spiritual practice. It’s not always easy for me to articulate just how spiritual it can be to create the work that I do, or the impact that it can have on others. But being an artist and making art goes far beyond just something that I do, it’s a big part of who I am.

It’s my calling.

It’s the air that I breathe.

So this year for Lent, I want to explore my calling. I want to dive deeper into the sources of inspiration that have shaped my work over the years. The motivation to continue to create art despite the obstacles that been in my path, and every other reason you could think of that could discourage me. Over the next forty days I’m going to examine and share different sorces of inspiration that have impacted me and my art.