Its Been a Long Long Time

Sorry I have not posted on here in a year!  Hard to believe that it has been that long.  I have been super busy with work and my health.... too busy for anything else in fact.  It wasn't until today that I thought about updating my blog, creating a new website, and updating the world about what has happened to me.  I have been off work since the beginning of May this year due to health problems.  I was born with a clubfoot and have had lots of problems with my mobility over the last few years.  I still worked and would have to heavily medicate myself to get through the pain of standing all day.  When I wasn't working, I was sleeping because the pain was more than I could deal with. I put my whole life on hold because of the pain I was in. I lost my ability to do everyday things like grocery shopping and going to the mall for fun.  The bones in my ankle became necrotic and were breaking down. I had to go to Mayo Clinic for help because no other orthopedic surgeon would try to save my foot.  I was not ready for an amputation.  I ended up having a triple ankle fusion on May 8, and am still recovering.  I thought going in to surgery that this would be a 3 month stint and I would be able to walk again and be back to normal.  I am still in a cast unfortunately.  It was disheartening for me to see all the other people who had surgery the same time I did walking around in boots at the hospital this week, and I was still using my knee scooter.  The doctor told me that I have one joint that is not fusing, so I need to still be in a cast so the joint fuses correctly.  I originally was supposed to return to work this month, but now I do not know what is in store for me.

Because I am no longer in pain and am off work for an undeclared amount of time now, I decided to focus on something positive.  Besides being an artist, I am also spiritual and have focused a lot on realigning my spirituality during my time of healing. I decided to start creating art that combines my printmaking style with a spiritual meaning.  I will be publishing a deck of oracle cards and selling them on my new website and Etsy when all the art is complete.  The oracle deck is a tool used for gaining insight into your life, or finding daily affirmations.  Some people use tarot and oracle cards for divination, but I personally like the idea of having a tool that broadens my awareness and inspires new areas of focus.  My spirituality has gotten me through a lot of hardships, and I want to share my art and spirituality with other people who have had a difficult time in life.  Besides the card deck, I will also be selling prints of the artwork, as well as digital stamps of the images.  Although I love painting realistic wildlife, I am creating stylized cloisonne images of nature and animals that portray different aspects of life. My artistic focus is on small animals, birds, and insects because they are easily dismissed in our day to day life.  I like to think that the small creatures we encounter are messages from heaven to guide us and help us recognize that all life is meaningful. I am using Kaiserfusion alcohol markers, dylusions ink, distress paint, and other media to create these images.  I will also be doing some digital work to the images to make them into oracle cards.  I have 5 images done, and look forward to completing the entire set.  I will post images on my blog, facebook page, and website as I go along.

Since my previous webpage was deleted for inactivity, I am creating a new one and will keep everyone posted!  Also, I am considering creating a youtube channel if there is enough support for it. Thank you for stopping by my blog and following me after all this time.  I appreciate all of your support.  Blessings and love  ❤ Tia - Copper Blossom Paper Gallery ❤