I am taking a break from shoe making, whether permanent or temporary remains to be seen. For new inspiration I am experimenting with automata.  This simple Halloween inspired piece is my second automaton and my first original piece.  Making it was a great experience and more challenging than I expected.

 The shoes are back in the South Pas Library for the next 2 months.

 I forgot to post last year that just before lockdown I visited an exhibition, 'A Step Beyond: Contemporary Footwear, Functional to Fashionable' at the Ben Maltz Gallery at Otis Parsons and met the curator, Jo Lauria, who was giving a tour to a group of friends.  As I was the only other person in the gallery she invited me to join them. That evening I sent her an email to thank her for including me and mentioned, somewhat sheepishly, that I made miniature shoes. To my astonishment she replied that she had heard of me from shoemaker Chris Francis and had hoped to contact me to include some of my work in the exhibition but had been unable to find me on social media.  Quel dommage!  It would have been an honor to be a part of that show.

 I love this face.  But I think it will remain an unfinished idea. Creative work has been hard to keep in focus as my husband's cancer progresses.  I work in fits and starts.  

I am not at all inclined to make shoes now but that may make room for new inspiration in the future, perhaps for something completely different. 

This is an introspective time, very rich in unexpected ways but circumscribed.  So be it.