Shirley A. Blair Keller

I was widowed, children grown, able to cover basic expenses, but, no cash for entertainment. I bought a cheap pen with black ink, a composition book, and began morning pages. I was so entertained that I rushed home each night after work, ate a quick dinner, asleep as soon as possible, to wake at 4:00 AM to write before work. This became my lovely life. The stories in "But What About The Children?" unfolded on the pages of the journals.

One night I had a dream of seeing a quilt on a wall of a museum. When I went up close, I saw it was not made of cloth, but more like collages of photos and art, each patch in white wood frames and were illustrations of the stories I had been writing. The next day I began to make what I call Ink Quilts, collages with photos, drawings, and all quilted with ink, instead of thread.

The Ink Quilts in black and white are included in the Kindle version and the paperback version. "But What About The Children?" is also available on Amazon with Ink Quilts In Color.

Writing led to interest in art. Ceramic mask making emerged from a friendship. That was over ten years ago. I am in love with mask making and still excited with each new lump of clay that inspires me to the next mask.

Over time I explored many art forms: photography, clay-mono-printing, black ink drawings and more. The art form I have fallen in love with is exploring dot art, mixed with recycled old things transformed into art pieces. My favorite canvases are hubcaps found in the streets.

Spirit Hill Meditation Garden and Art Studio is where I work. My husband made a lovely peaceful garden, bubbly pond, tonal wind chimes, wind moving leaves in the Oaks surrounding the garden. We open our garden and studio once a month to the public on 1st Saturday in Three Rivers, an art event in our small town, a gateway to the Sequoias. Everyone welcome.