Thursday, July 30, 2015

Shibui Living

Nestled amongst the black oaks and tall pines of a small foothill community in northern California is a beautiful place in which I've had the privilege of living for the past 19 years. Shibui was founded as an art school in the mid 1970's, and flourished for many years as a creative center and place of inspiration for local artists and artisans under the guidance of artist and teacher Flo Barnett. Sadly Flo passed away in March of this year, and with her passing we have decided to sell the property. 

Shibui sits on nearly 3.5 acres and consists of two homes, both of which have been Flo's classroom and art studio. Flo's son Dan and I live in the second house on the property, which started out as a weaving room and a pottery. We love living here and are saddened by the thought of moving, but with mom's passing we realize that it's time for us to downsize. Flo's lovely home deserves to be lived in and we hope that her studio will once again be a place for creativity to flourish.

Blogging about Shibui and about our talented mom Flo is a way for me to say goodby to them both and, I hope, an avenue for introducing mom's work and the beauty of this place to a wider audience. Though mom is gone, much of her work remains with us and her home still reflects her spirit and creativity. There is much to appreciate and enjoy here still. This blog is a place for me to write about and share pictures of this special place and of Flo's creative work, a celebration of her life and of our life living here.