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Some of you may already know this, but I was diagnosed with an Essential Tremor in my right hand (my cello bow arm) in December of 2013. The day the neurologist told me, I was moving out of my beloved apartment for financial reasons, so I was too stressed to really let the news sink in... 

Over the last several months, I've tested out the different medication options and watched the tremor get progressively worse (it is a degenerative disease.) While I was at my Artist Residency, I was de…

There are so many elements of my time away that have been exactly what I needed. This weekend's Songwriter's Retreat at the Grünewald Guild was one of them.

I scavenged my last $100, birthday money from family, to pay for my portion of the Workshop fee. (Artists in Residence get to take workshops for half-price.) I questioned whether I should join the workshop because I was already writing songs, but I am SO glad I got to join in.

I may not have learned the 'secret' to songwriting, but I fell …

I'm still really honored to have been given the opportunity to speak at this year's TEDxTacoma. :-)  Take a look below!

Julia Cameron is my fairy godmother. No. Really. 

I'm happy to announce that Julia Cameron is hilarious and the cutest. 

and this weekend I got to hear her speak and meet her face-to-face.

If I hear any other good news during my time here during my Artist Residency, I might just keel over from too much. Goodness. too much goodness. 

Julia Cameron is the author of the book/workbook "The Artist's Way," which is a book I've gone through at least 3 times. One of those times I was honored to faci…

Really? Did a week just fly by?! Woah.

Last Saturday I gave a performance on behalf of the Grünewald Guild at the Mountain Springs Lodge. It went pretty stinkin' great. 

The first half of the concert I used my looping pedal and walked the audience through a few spontaneous compositions. I loved opening up the time for questions. I've only seen a few other performers do that. I didn't intend to do that when I walked on stage, but it just seemed right.

The second half of my set of music w…

Woah. 4 solid days of work in the studio evidently equals 1 almost complete song. Phew! It's fun, but I need a nap. 

Although I probably need a nap more from all the shoveling of snow than the songwriting. Ha! (That snow is heavy once it starts melting!)

The Birth of a Song

The first day of writing this particular song I was suuuuper aware of the 'infant stage' of the songwriting process. It was clear to me that previously I'd allowed songs to "die" because I wasn't protecting them from the h…

My new music studio: it  does  have a window, but you can't tell because there's a huge WALL OF SNOW outside.

I'm pooped. and I can't tell if it's because I arrived totally and utterly exhausted. (I most certainly did.) or if it's because the adjustment to new community, environment, climate change, wardrobe alterations, and daily schedule have drained me.

Today felt really really really good. I finally was able to wrap my beast-of-a-keyboard up in a big blanket and get some help carrying i…

and look how gorgeous it is!

the view from the porch of the River House at the Grunewald guild, my place of residence for the next 6 weeks.

This morning I found myself writing the following...

"A lot of the furniture has been here for awhile, I can tell. It’s all kinda wonderful to think about. I am here because so many people helped me. They supported me and gifted me the tools I needed. and here I am. Sitting on a couch that someone donated, under a blanket that a previous artist left, with…

"You're so lucky!"

When I tell someone I'm a professional musician, I frequently get the "Wow. You're so lucky you get to pay your bills doing what you love" response. And though I agree, I also get a little sad that not everyone believes they too can live their life doing what they love. 

On a related note, when I tell a fellow musician about my artist residency I get the same response... "You're so lucky - to spend 6 uninterrupted weeks making music!" But it equally saddens me to hear this t…

I'm soooo happy to announce that I've been awarded an Artist Residency by the Grünewald Guild in Leavenworth, WA!

 

March 1st through April 15th

I get to spend 6-weeks of this spring tucked away in the mountains practicing, honing my craft, and writing new music. I'm really looking forward to all the artsy juiciness that will come from my time with the lovely folks at the Guild. 

The Grünewald Guild

The Grünewald Guild is an ecumenical Christian community & retreat center in Leavenwor…