September is my favorite month. Labor Day nearly always falls during my birthday week and it feels like my own personal holiday with built-in time off. There are also occasional signs of autumn peeking through the days here and there and with record breaking temps all over the globe this year, surely we all hope that cooler temps are to arrive soon.
This year there are other September events that I’m looking forward to as well:
My longtime client, Japan-America Society of Tennessee is hosting the 9th Annual Women’s Leadership Forum. Over the years I’ve met some pretty wonderful humans at this event and the topics are always relevant and insightful. This year’s them is “Serving Where You Are” and, like in year’s past, I thoroughly enjoyed creating artwork to convey the theme. It was a joy to conceptualize it with artwork that is both elegant and broad in scope: specifically the traditional Japanese tea ceremony. The graphic loosely expresses how the simple sharing of time with another has potential ripple effects for others which in turn affects communities and, with even loftier notions, the world. This cultural "butterfly effect" is conveyed through the flowers and (no surprise) butterflies spilling out into space . The principles of the tea ceremony tradition are harmony (和, wa), respect (敬, kei), purity (清, sei), and tranquility (寂, jaku) – further reinforcing the theme for this event.
Another upcoming event that I’m honored to be a part of is Tennessee Craft’s Statewide Membership Exhibition at the Customs House Museum and Cultural Center in Clarksville, Tennessee. I’m so impressed with the way TN Craft supports its members. This past spring, I was a first-time exhibitor in their Spring Fair’s Emerging Makers tent. It was an honor to be a part of it all as I learn all the ways of exhibiting, marketing and selling products, something I usually do behind the scenes for others. I’ve attended this Craft Fair since I was a kiddo and now to be included in the upcoming Membership Exhibition simply thrills me! Please consider attending the opening Thursday, September 14th from 5-7 pm.
There are other upcoming events to look forward too as well so save the date for the Memphis Japan Festival held at the lovely Memphis Botanic Garden on Sunday, November 5, 2023 from 9:30 AM - 4:00 PM as well as the 2024 Nashville Cherry Blossom Festival on Saturday, April 13th.
May you have an eventful time at any or all of these…I’d love to see you there and to share some of the things that I love to do! Maybe we can even share a cup of tea.
P.S. I almost forgot: my work was recently among other fabulous talent showcased in They Draw’s call for submissions of illustrations using the theme “refreshing.” It’s a wonderful collection of work and I’m grateful to be included. Scroll down to find my work and give it a like if you feel inspired! You may even recognize the artwork which is similar to piece posted in last month’s Journal entry. Cheers!