​Most recently Deborah was one of four Featured Artists at artCentral’s annual Holiday Boutique where her collection of sophisticated mandalas filled the galleries with exquisite designs and brilliant colors.

Until recently Deborah Barnett shared a home with her musician husband. Their house was his family home where he was raised. Like most American homes constructed before 1940, their house was built in the balloon frame style with the vertical studs extending the full height of the building from foundation plate to rafter plate.

Two days before last Christmas, while temperatures hovered around four degrees with negative wind chills, the call came from a mutual artist friend, “Have you heard? Their house burned down. Down to the ground. The family got out. The dog was rescued.” ​A fire starting at the bottom had spread within walls to the second floor then all the way to the top of the roof. 

After the passing of her elderly mother, Deborah was moved to make a mandala on a wooden disc as a memorial tribute to her mother. There followed an uninterrupted mandala succession over the course of her year of mourning.  All were celebrations.

Many of Deborah’s mandalas traveled home with Holiday Boutique patrons. Those that went back to her studio are now forever gone as are the creative space of their conception and all the materials Deborah had planned to use for future works.
​
Though Deborah has lost everything she tells me she plans to make a new body of work as a Feature Artist for artCentral’s 2023 Holiday Boutique. I believe her. I believe her passion will prevail. Deborah is a woman of grit. When many artists would be winding down she is determined to make a new beginning.
 Artist Deborah Barnett is an artist in need of support. Will you please help? Will you help Deborah and her art and her family reemerge from the ashes all around them?
                      
Donations can be made and identified for the Barnetts on artCentral’s website (artcentralcarthage.org/give4art-fund.html) or Facebook page (facebook.com/ArtcentralCarthage) or by mail (artCentral, POB 714, Carthage, Mo 64836) or by phone (417) 358-4404.
 
Donations may also be made at artCentral during the upcoming FOILED AGAIN! Exhibition—opening February 3, 2023, (weather alternative February 10), and showcasing the fabulously talented community of the Joplin Regional Artists Coalition through March 18! 

“Sam and Kate” stars two real-life parent-child pairs: Dustin Hoffman and Jake Hoffman play a father-son duo, Bill and Sam, while Schuyler Fisk and Sissy Spacek appear as Kate and her mother, Tina.
 
Emily Bernard’s online review in the “Collider” expresses perfectly my appreciation for this tender, teaching film:

“[‘Sam and Kate’ is]…less of a ‘love’ story and more of a ‘life’ story that happens to feature budding romances that come about when you both least expect it and most need it….
 
While everything harmonizes in this movie, with an honest script, sharp direction, and dynamic characters, the casting is what makes it really sing. Darren Le Gallo’s feature directorial debut follows the intermingling of two dysfunctional parent-child relationships. Bill (Dustin Hoffman) is an easily irritated but mostly caring older man who is frustrated with his current circumstances. His heart troubles and overall habits (smoking, eating, drinking) are putting his already poor health at an even greater risk, and his adult son Sam (brilliantly played by his real-life son Jake Hoffman) has moved back in with him to keep a closer watch on his old man.
 
Sam [a gifted, but unexhibited artist] isn’t exactly thrilled to be back home in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the country. When he’s not taking his dad to the doctor, he’s working his shift at the chocolate factory and working on his impressive sketches that never see the light of day. This father-son dynamic is quite endearing (Sam calls his father ‘Bill’ per his dad’s request) and their bond is further cemented by the shared trauma of losing a wife and mother to cancer. Despite their frequent bumping of heads when Sam tries to sneak any form of nutrition into Bill’s diet…and Bill’s constant [disparaging] comments about Sam’s future, it’s clear the pair cares deeply for each other.
 
[Both parents]...are angry and scared at their loss of control in life and get irrationally possessive and frustrated over benign things. Tina and Bill often take their grievances out on their children who are simply trying to help. Tina is a hoarder (or as she prefers to be called, a ‘collector’), and Bill feels suffocated by his health changes. 
 
While the Hollywood legends don’t disappoint, it’s their children who steal the spotlight. We meet [Kate who has given up her music] when Sam walks past a local antique bookstore. In the window is Kate (Schuyler Fisk), the girl-next-door-type owner…. [Sam’s and Kate’s] one-on-one interactions…are unabashedly vulnerable and deep without at all feeling contrived.
 
Le Gallo’s dialogue…is genuine, playful, and consistently captivating….These intimate interactions serve as a respite from life’s at-times mundane reality. 
 
‘Sam and Kate’ reminds us that life is unpredictable in the best and worst of ways, and that you shouldn't wait to pursue who or what you are passionate about [especially your unique expression of your art!].”
 
“Sam and Kate” offers us insights that encourage us to deal with our inherited traumas so no longer to be oppressed but rather to be freed to fully pursue and live our passions to make art. Can this pursuit be the New Year’s resolution that will change your life?
 
Looking for inspiration? February 3 through March 18 will offer plenty with 2023’s opening artCentral exhibition—“FOILED AGAIN!”—showcasing the fabulously talented community of the Joplin Regional Artists Coalition!

​Starting a new year with gratitude is always a good idea. Indeed, if you have not already, consider putting “practice daily gratitude” at the top of your 2023 resolutions. Being grateful each day sets the tone for all that is to come.
 
Start practicing daily gratitude. Set aside a time. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Make a habit of your gratitude time. Show up for yourself.
 
Gratitude grounds you in the present. Gratitude brings inspiration in the moment beyond regretting the past and worrying about the future. In gratitude you become a receptive vessel for the rich gifts of your experience.
 
Gratitude attracts inspiration. Remember that when doubting or fear show up, they are merely prerequisites for inspiration to follow. Do not run away! Lean into doubt and fear with your gratitude practice. You will be amazed at your power to attract the goodness that is sure to come.
 
My meditation teacher Light Watkins reminds us that when going the distance in developing a habit like gratitude, “The reason that most resolutions fail by February is because the original plan only works in best-cases scenarios.  But what are you going to do if it’s snowing? Or if you have to stay up late working? Or if you get a headache? How will you make it happen? Figure out some workarounds. Test them out before you need them. And you’ll have a plan that can go the gratitude distance.”
 
Practice gratitude repetition. Build your gratitude habits. Start today and receiving daily inspiration will become second nature to you far beyond February. When setbacks appear keep going!

Gratitude will carry you over mountains. Gratitude will take you to the depths of satisfaction. Practice gratitude! Today. Tomorrow. Practice one day at a time right up to the threshold of 2024 and beyond.
 
Today, for what and whom and how are you grateful? What are your top ten gratitudes in this moment?
 

1. I am grateful to walk this good earth another day.
2. I am grateful for art as my first language and my passion.
3. I am grateful for my husband David whose first language and passion, like mine, are all about art.
4. I am grateful for artCentral.
5. I am grateful for our Carthage hometown community where art and artists matter.
6. I am grateful I have the privilege of directing artCentral through this new year.
7. I am grateful for a position of work that perfectly aligns with my life purpose to serve art and artists to make our world a more creatively compassionate, safe and serene place for all of us.
8. I am grateful for artCentral’s benefactress Katherine Hyde, an artist, whose vision inspired her to set aside her Hyde House family home to always be used to support artists and the arts.
9. I am grateful for each and every artist and supporter who sustain artCentral through membership and participation and time and talents and dollars.
10. I am grateful for artCentral’s exciting new exhibition season opening February 3 with FOILED AGAIN! showcasing the creations of the Joplin Regional Artists Coalition. 

 
As our holiday decorations are put away for another year, with open arms and minds and hearts let us welcome this new year while we count our blessings with gratitude.
 
May 2023 bless us all with health in body and mind and spirit; with wealth in all the ways that sustain our well-being; and with happiness that reminds us to practice gratitude every day as we go about the business of appreciating and caring for the art and artists we love.
 
May we remember with gratitude the words of the wise sage Willie Nelson: “When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around."   

New artCentral Exhibition Season!​

Finally my answer came in a dream! While sleeping, I was reminded that standing curbside at the 2022 Maple Leaf Festival parade, I snapped a series of photos when I saw a strolling and waving figure dressed in a suit that appeared to be constructed of hundreds of foil triangles.
 
Voilà! My dream muse delivered not only the media graphics but my JRAC exhibition entry as well.
 
Waking from my dream and inspired, I went to my computer and opened my album of parade images. I chose a “foiled man” photo that I translated into an animated painted image I now think of as my “FOILED AGAIN MAN”. 

​Today I send out an artful “thank you!” to the parade’s striding man-in-the-suit whom I have come to learn is the marvelously, multi-talented Kevin Fields, the creative director and dance instructor at Flowagraphy. See for yourself! You can find him on Instagram and Facebook.
 
JRAC ARTISTS are you ready to make FOILED AGAIN! art? Delivery date is January 22, Sunday, 2:00-4:00 p.m., for your own fabulous creation.
 
FOILED AGAIN! SUBMISSION CRITERIA

• In keeping with artCentral's standard of excellence the Executive Director-Curator of artCentral is responsible for final acceptance and installation of all submitted art works.
• All submissions must be family friendly. No pornographic works will be considered.
• One art work may be submitted. A second submission will be considered depending on installation space available.
• The Director-Curator will not accept any "wet" art work. The artCentral Prepitor will not install any "wet" art work.
• All art works submitted must be created by JRAC Artists in the previous two years and never before displayed in an artCentral gallery exhibition.
• 2D art works submitted must be framed or gallery wrapped and wired for hanging.
• 3D art works displays, if available, will be supplied by artCentral.
• All JRAC Artists must submit a signed and dated Participation Agreement (downloaded from artCentral’s website FOILED AGAIN! page).
• Each artwork must be accompanied by a high quality photo image emailed to joplinrac@gmail.com by Wednesday, January 18, at 5:00 p.m.
• The Artist grants and artCentral reserves the right to photograph any exhibited art work for the purpose of documentation and/or reproduction at the discretion of the Director-Curator.
• With the template provided, THREE (3) ID LABELS (downloaded from artCentral’s website FOILED AGAIN! page) shall be completed and two affixed on each art work: 1 label top R Front, 1 label top R Back. A third label shall be submitted to the Director-Curator upon delivery.
• For detailed information regarding Sales and Sales Tax; Insurance Responsibility; Invoicing and Payments; and Storage Fees (for any art left at artCentral after the close of the Exhibition) consult artcentralcarthage.org and look for the FOILED AGAIN! page under EVENTS!

 
Do mark your 2023 calendars and come celebrate JRAC ARTISTS at the FOILED AGAIN!” Opening Reception on Friday, January 22, 6:00-8:00 p.m. AWARDS will be presented. Libations and hors d’œuvres will be served. Admission is free!

​In the Christian tradition the gifts are those given by the Christ Child—the “partridge in a pear tree” symbolizes Jesus and “three French hens” represent faith, hope and love.
 
Faith. Hope. Love. What splendid gifts to receive in any season, at any Christmas, but especially as we draw near to the end of a year like no other we have known.
 
My husband and artCentral’s Prepitor David and I wish for each of us the blessings of these gifts—Faith, Hope, Love—to carry forward into the New Year. May we receive these gifts with open hearts and open minds. May we treasure them. Nurture them. May we share them near and far.
 
May Faith and Hope and Love be given in extra measure to all who are remembering loved ones who have left our company and are no longer here to celebrate holidays with us. May our heartaches be soothed—may our feelings of loss and aloneness be assuaged.
 
These gift-giving-and-receiving holiday times can magnify all our emotions—joy and sorrow, too. Grief is like having broken ribs. On the outside you look fine, but with every breath you hurt. We care for the hurting—the very real heartache and unfinished mourning—for the leaving of a precious child; a grandparent, a wife, husband, mother, father, sister or brother who has gone through the veil; a missed friend or lover; a pet who has crossed over the rainbow.
 
We wish for each heartache a candle, real or imagined, that whispers and burns ever so sweetly. We wish for comfort. We wish for peace. We wish for you a coming someday when the heartache lessens and becomes a soothing sweet gift—a sweet memory here and another there—sweet memories that mend the aching and cause smiles with the recalling of dear loved ones now absent.
 
There is an art to receiving gifts. Sometimes we must wait and weep before we can be ready for them to come. Perhaps they will arrive on the twelfth day of Christmas or maybe another day farther off. Come they always will—like glittering stars in the winter night skies—like fireflies twinkling in summer’s dusk—like three French hens unexpectedly gathering on our lawns. Faith. Hope. Love.
 
Come they will. Come they will. Faith. Hope. Love. Yes! They are here already in our holy days of aching. We promise.