35″ L x 27 “W, oil and cold wax on archival oil paper with hand sewn mixed media pocket notes , I have a longstanding habit of writing down messages on small bits of paper and sticking them in my pockets. Memories, bits of poetry, a name to think about, questions I’m noodling, or a message I must hear and repeat. In more challenging times, these messages have been such a needed talisman that I tucked them into my bra to get as close to the heart as possible. It’s a gift to find one in a forgotten pocket and receive the message anew. Right now, in particular, I am drawn to these small, potent packages. Some ideas are so tender and private that they need a tightly sewn container to keep them in, and others are looser, more freely given. I find them beautiful. They remind me that everyone carries their own version of pocket notes—memories and experiences we can’t see but are tucked in and carried, nonetheless. May we soften for them.