Year of the Snake Part 3
Shedding Into Freedom: the Year of the Snake and Stepping Into My Fire Horse Year
As 2025 winds down, I’m amazed by how much the Year of the Snake asked me to shed—and how grounded and relieved I feel because of it. What began as a simple reflection became a year of profound upheaval and transformation. I never imagined that such shedding was necessary to reclaim my sense of agency and fully embrace my creative path. The Snake also opened the door to self-forgiveness and deepened my gratitude for the enduring friendships that have always been my true foundation.
My May solo show at Frederick Holmes & Company in Seattle, ended up being my final exhibition after showing there for 13 years. This additional call to shed and let go turned into one that opened doors with new representation at Lost in Composition Gallery in Seattle and Woodman Shimko Gallery in Palm Springs, California.
Musée d’Orsay, Paris
This has been a year of so much joy in love, international travel, adventure, self-discovery and in art. It has also been a year of grieving losses; gallery closures, the dissolving of misaligned partnerships and, the simultaneous loss of my mom Rose, whose memory and voice is always with me.
The Rose Room
Over the Summer and Autumn, I transformed a room in our home to honor my mom. As I’ve slowly sorted through her things, I’ve been adding little pieces of her to this space I now write in. Sitting in the newly named “Rose Room”—a nod to the plaque from the guest room I stayed in when visiting her—I feel gently invited to slow down, reflect on all that’s passed, and recognize the hard-won growth that brings me to the threshold of 60.
How lucky we are to receive these quiet gifts that keep us connected to those we’ve lost in ways uniquely our own. Grief transforms us; by continuing to love and learn from those who’ve passed, we grow in compassion for ourselves and for the people we hold dear. Though my mom has shed her mortal coil, she’s still with me—showing up in my heart and mind every day. And every day, I’m deeply grateful for the refuge and love of my chosen family and my partner, Gabe. We are uniquely bound in love and art, and are ready to charge into 2026 together.
A Year Poised for Ignition
Looking ahead to the dynamic, forward-driving Year of the Fire Horse and all that it represents, I feel ready for renewal, momentum, and creative ignition. I always seek to reveal symbolism in my artwork through existing parallels between contemporary astronomy and astrology. This year, the arrival of the 2025 triple ATLAS comet feels especially symbolic. In astronomy, three concurrent comets are rare, and in astrology, such a triad can be seen as a surge of awakened energy—an omen of acceleration, insight, and a collective push toward transformation.
The Second Saturn Return and The Fire Horse
I was born in the Year of the Fire Horse—September 25, 1966—a rare sign that comes around only once every 60 years. In 2026, the Fire Horse returns, and so does my second Saturn return, a milestone that invites reflection, celebration, and new purpose. It’s a time to honor the wisdom gained, embrace spiritual awakening, and step fully into creating a meaningful, authentic next chapter.
In our happy place in Oysterville!
In 2026, I’m excited to share two solo exhibitions in Seattle and Astoria. Gabe and I are planning an intimate wedding on Maui in November, coinciding with what would have been my dad’s 100th birthday, followed by a potluck celebration with our dearest family and friends during our show at Imogen Gallery in April 2027, the month of my parents’ 75th wedding anniversary.
As I bid a fond farewell to the Year of the Snake and its many lessons, I welcome the Fire Horse Year—and a new decade of life—with openness, courage, and renewed purpose. My deepest thanks go to my big sister Lynn, friends, supporters, and followers who have seen me through it all and been a part of this creative journey; I cherish each of you.
Wishing you all the inspiration, energy, and transformation that this Fire Horse year can bring to you. Please feel free to drop a comment if you’d like.
With much love, Elise
