Art, wonderful art and the people who create it.

Under cool links I have listed a couple of websites for you to check out. Two women I've had the pleasure to get to know through another blog (um, that would be Haven's again.) I've added a link for art by Cathy DeLeRee and updated Sher Fick's link for her new site. Both women do outstanding - and affordable - work with found objects in completely different ways.

Kate McKinney (or Miss Kate Cake for me) is the next link down that you will find. She's a mother/writer/wife who has a way with words that is sorely under appreciated. She can make you laugh in one moment and make your heart and soul sing in the next one. I had the pleasure of briefly meeting her last year at one of Haven's (there she is again) book signings here in Indianapolis.

The next one is John Svara, potter extraordinaire. I've not had the pleasure of seeing his work in person, but just the photos alone make me catch my breath. I know of John indirectly and can tell you with complete lack of hyperbole that he is quite the renaisance man. Not only does he craft wonderful pieces out of clay, he also is a gifted singer/songwriter. He's also a woodcrafter and home remodeler. Oh, he's also a wonderful husband to a dear friend of mine (um, Haven) and father to their children.

The next "Cool Link" is for a slightly known author by the name of Augusten Burroughs. Some of you may have heard of him. If not, shame on you. His best known book is probably "Running with Scissors" which takes a look at a highly dysfunctional period in a teen boy's life and makes it both amusing and heartbreaking all at once. Unfortunately, I don't know him personally, but I am a huge admirer of both his body of work and his ability to have lived through some horrific times in his life and come out of it a stronger and more beautiful human being. Oh, he is also great friends with another writer I've talked about - Haven Kimmel. (Anyone else seeing a pattern here?)

The last two are more for fun than anything. Well, the last one is anyway. The Belief-O-Matic site is more of a tool for helping you in your spiritual journey. Have fun checking out those links. They've given me many hours of joy.