Quite the incredible day!

 Me with Nicki Ault who came all the way from Saskatoon.

With a day to think about all that took place in the
artists' celebration party for the International Women
Celebrate show, I feel so moved by the experience.
Jill Yuzwa, the Ayrspace gallery director is an incredibly
generous and gracious host.  Not long after we arrived
the went around the large gallery space introducing each
attending artist and her art.  Each woman stood next to her
painting and described her motivation.  There were so many
wonderful stories stemming from each woman's interpretation
of the event.  Some were sad, honouring mothers and friends
who were now gone, many were joyful expressions of women's
desire to be free, some were political about the oppression
women still face in parts of the world, and some were intensely
personal about lost relationships, or about wanting to inspire
a daughter to be strong and happy.

These stories also captured in the book designed by Jeanette
Vermeyden-Obbink set the stage for an evening of discussion.
I was extremely happy to meet women from all different
parts of the country, and to sign each other's books.  But the
sweetest part of the evening, in an event packed with notable
memories, was sitting with my blog friends and just revelling
in the excitement, happiness, humour we shared at meeting one
another.  It was so delightful to realize that everything I'd always
thought would happen if blogging friends got together -- did.
We hugged and laughed and talked.  Our comments on each
other's blogs, our knowledge of each other's work made the
connections in person, instant and meaningful.

At the end of the night Marcia Labelle, Jill Yuzwa and me 

getting ready to say goodbye after a great day.

Three cheers for the blog world, for Jill Yuzwa again. And to
all the women in the show thank you.  I could sit and stare at
your work for hours and hours.   Absolutely inspiring!

Have a meeting-the-people-you-admire day.

P.S.  There will be more pictures tomorrow.  My camera
work was not too great, I think I was too excited.
So I'll get some shots from Steven's camera, and show
you more of the people.