the behemoth

I have lived downtown for about 3 weeks now. This was a move that was a big deal. I was starting over in a new place, a place I would live in by myself primarily, living half with my kids here. It is a beautiful place, very close to my studio, to the places I craved to eat at more than any over the past year. Making this place a home has been super important. And I find that when things are important, I often lean on Peter Cales. To make this place a home, everything has to fit perfectly, which often means making just the thing I need.

First, it was dealing with my kids' rooms, which were a little small. Solution? Build loft beds with desks and bookcases underneath to make cozy and functional spaces that are all for them.

Now, it is building a behemoth of a dining table. I am a glutton. I love to eat. I love to entertain. I love me a dinner party. It has been at least a year and a half since I've really had one. I can't wait to. Peter salvaged a bowling alley lane last Summer. In the past couple weeks, he and I (lets be real, mostly he) have been cutting, sanding and designing a simple, elegant table made of the beautiful maple and Pine flooring. 2 inches thick and 7 feet long. Secured with plate steel.

I'm rounding up some friends to help move that. Its heavy. There are stairs.

Hells Angels Block Party

For the past couple months I have been working on the latest installment of "all that ever was, Always is", a collaboration I am doing with Habitat for Humanity. I have been collecting stories from people in the neighborhood, people I saw while taking doors and wood out of the houses at 1468 and 1470 Emmet in North Omaha. As I have about 60 windows to compose and paint, I was thrilled to get some good ideas out of people who were interested in what I was up to--namely a neighborhood block party hosted by a local chapter of the hells angels.