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Welcome!

Thank you for visiting LaurieM.com!

I'm Laurie Mikulasek Simpkinson ("Laurie M"), a native Californian artist, author, philosopher, and actress. My professional background is in Philosophy of Mind, while all the faces of my expression focus on my core as a storyteller. The goal of my work is to blend the worlds of images, words, and refreshing ideas to create inspiring pieces.

Be sure to check back often as I continue to add projects, particularly to the Artist, Author, and Actress pages. Please email me for more information about art prints and products.

What's New

May 28, 2010: So much has happened since the last post: Kimber died at the end of October. A month and a half later I broke my back which means horse riding has left my life, and I await for Titan to sell. After nine weeks in bed I've been recovering well, grateful that I can even walk let alone be able to be "Mom." But this injury comes at a cost, as life keeps going and relationships keep changing, and I am slower and less able now than I was.

The extra time I have now is mixed. More time to write, but also more time to wallow. A creative person's swords are double-edged for sure.

I'm feeling more and more motivated to begin a blog, which I'll post though this site. I'll see what the jumble of Summertime will allow me. Meanwhile check out the Author page, as I've posted links to a few new pieces.

October 17, 2009: Well two dead computers in a year will certainly put a damper on web updates! But there is much to report. My summer highlight was a week-long trip to visit my sister in El Salvador. In true Stephanie fashion, however, she promptly moved to Panama City two weeks after I left. It was great to swim in a warm ocean, discover ceviche, bond with my nieces, tour ancient Mayan ruins, and visit with sis.

Now fall has arrived and the kids are finally all in school! I feel a mix of joy and sorrow and relief and guilt--I'm joyous to have arrived at this one-way door, never to turn back to babies and toddlerhood and preschool, but at the same time painfully aware of the personal toll it has taken on me to run this mommy-marathon thus far.

But we all only get one shot at my kids' childhood. And in that spirit we've added one more to our family, our official Family Dog, Chucky. (He came with the name.) We didn't stretch too far, however, as he is actually cat-sized. But there is no doubt the big roll he plays, watching the kids walk him back from the bus stop on these crisp autumn days, or play fetch with him for hours in the yard.

Yet as new life finds us, the cycle keeps turning. My first baby, Kimber, a kitten I got when I started grad school in 1996, has inoperable cancer. So I'm also spending my autumn days cuddling with her on the swing with a blanket, learning to feed her with a dropper, and watching her body grow thinner and weaker. Sometimes it's hard to be the grown-up now, fielding my kids' curiosity: "Mommy, is Kimber going to die today?" "Is she going to get buried, or do we just throw her away?" "Well at least she won't throw up on the table anymore." I've been using a lot of Kleenex.

My Writer's Group has started up again, and I'm attempting to find time to balance this passion in my full life. I also had a photo shoot with Cheryl Welch. Two of our favorites so far:

And yes, we survived the recent storm out here in the mountains, although we broke some records in getting 10-12 inches of rain in such a short amount of time. And to all the locals of 20 years ago, happy Earthquake Anniversary!

(What's Not So New)

Looking for the world-famous sculptor Chris Mikulasek? That's my Aunt!

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