Long a fan of southern artists such as Mose Tolliver, Howard Finster, and the Gees Bend Quilters I journeyed to the Alabama Black Belt to explore Folk Art, Rural Art, and Outsider Art and to see if I might find a spark of inspiration to illuminate new paths in my creative life. An intended two-month stay in rural Alabama became a year. A year quickly morphed into ten. And so on. I've never felt a stronger sense of belonging. My art practice has transformed to reflect this new environment. By adapting the practical and humble approach to life and creativity of the people of the rural south, my process has become more streamlined and the work, while encountering its share of challenges, flows more effortlessly.