I want to take this opportunity to thank the people who helped make this year’s Open Studio a success. It really does take a village.
First, I’ll start with Bonnie, who helped with the preparation and gave up her entire weekend, after working as a full-time elementary special ed teacher all week. 
Bonnie is always full of ideas and has been a sounding board during the entire creative process. As the food artist in the family, she (and Jay) volunteered to handle the dessert table.
Next, let me introduce you to Maritza, who is great at anticipating what needs to be done and keeps me on track. She also gave up her weekend to help out after working two jobs all week! I don’t know how she does it – and with a smile.
Here she is in action overseeing the Oreo Cookie Contest in the kitchen.
Now, we come to Jay, who makes it possible to pursue my artist career. This past week, Jay ran constant errands, moved furniture, hung paintings, cooked, and cleaned, among other things too numerous to mention. I am grateful to have him in my life.
A special shout-out to Joe Sablow of Artistic Services in White Plains, NY, for coming through with beautifully crafted custom-made frames that give my paintings a distinctive look, and received many compliments this year.
I can’t end this post without acknowledging my other daughter, Laura, who developed and manages this website from Urbana, IL while getting a graduate degree in Biophysics and Computational Biology. While she’s not a visible presence, she has been a major force behind the scenes.
Now you’ve met the team. Thank you for everything! I couldn’t do this without you. Most of all, thanks for your ongoing encouragement and support to pursue the dream.
