February may be the shortest month of the year but these past few weeks have been packed to the brim.

Earlier this month I flew to Philadelphia for the opening of TUFT, a group show at GROUP PROJECTS PHL that was curated by Tim Eads. It was such a thrill to see my coat Six of Hearts displayed in a gallery alongside a variety of talented punch and tufting artists! Tim and I first connected back in September when he was in Los Angeles teaching a workshop, and it was great to reconnect, and spend time getting to know a handful of the other artists involved in the show. Meeting people from my online world in real life has led to some truly wonderful connections. I'm grateful for the opportunity to travel, and every chance I get to meet people face to face.

During my time in Philly, I stopped by the Philadelphia Art Museum to see the show Off the Wall: American Art to Wear and I was blown away. Most exhibits I've seen on wearable art are relatively limited in scope, but this show was comprehensive and inspiring. It celebrated the mixed media artists who pioneered the wearable art movement in the 60's and 70's, and helped me better contextualize my own work in relation to these movements. I am hopeful that exhibitions like this will continue to shed light on art forms (like fiber art) that have historically been excluded from the fine art world.

Back in Los Angeles, I attended Superfine art fair as well as Frieze. Superfine was underwhelming, but Frieze was an invigorating display of contemporary art from the beautiful to the absurd, and the tent at the Paramount lot was filled with an elegant, fashionable art crowd that made me feel like I was back in New York City. That same weekend I went to Kathleen Ryan's show Bad Fruit at Francois Ghebaly, delighted for the opportunity to see her work in person. I don't remember how I first stumbled upon her intricate sculptures, but it captivated me immediately! I was thrilled to be able to attend her opening. At Vielmetter later that evening, for the opening of Karl Haendel's Double Dominant, I was pleasantly surprised to learn there was a dinner hosted by the artist after the show. A long table had been set up in the gallery space, and the attendees — other artists, collectors and friends of Susanne and Karl — all gathered around to enjoy a meal. What a fantastic experience.

Needless to say, it's been an inspirational month.

As I look towards March, I'm ready to dive into some new personal projects. I recently completed a commissioned art piece for a friend of mine and it sparked a wealth of new ideas. I have plans for new accessories, and have been exploring a collection that encompasses a range of art and design. Some of my personal work has been put on hold in recent weeks as the majority of my time has been focused on three exciting partnerships that I can't quite share yet... it's hard to be patient, but reassuring to know there is so much on the horizon!