Featured image: Rainbows in My Studio
The magical work of the soul begins with you—not someone else, not someone else’s soul. It begins with your soul. And your soul resides within you, not someone else.
For me, I can only do that magical work through my art, and when I don’t, it shows—in my work and in me.
My studio is where this magical work happens. My art is where this magical work happens.
Erased Painting
Gen Z
Ever since I realized that if I wanted to be an artist, I needed to find a way to support my artwork, I realized that it was going to be a very, very hard job. And to add to that, to find the kind of work I needed to support—contemporary, abstract, conceptual—I don’t think I could have chosen a more difficult job on the planet. Nope.
When I went off to college, my parents kept drilling into me, “You can’t major in art.” Well, I did. And just for a safety net, I took a second major, education, to support my “love” of art. Being a teacher was good. I was good at teaching. The trouble is, I was good at teaching. Back then there were no art classrooms; it was art in the trunk of my car and art on a cart, and it was hard. And many times, I was too tired to make something of my own, but I did. I did “art fairs” on the weekends. And so I supported my love, my strong need to CREATE.
I WAS A CREATIVE FROM KINDERGARTEN TO THIS DAY. I have always believed it was my calling, that God’s Spirit was in me calling me. Oh, I have fallen off the wagon many times—He knows. One time for over 2 years. But He keeps calling. And I have heard other creatives say the same thing. There must be something to this spirit within that we cannot see.
Yesterday, there wasn’t one person who stepped into my gallery/studio during the Northwoods Art Tour, not one—and I kid you not—even the ones who knew nothing about contemporary, abstract, conceptual artwork—who didn’t say, “I just love your work; you are so inspirational; you make me so happy.” NOT ONE. Were they saying that to me? No, they were saying that to the Spirit within.
Thank you, Spirit within. Thank you, beautiful people who know and love creatives. For our culture needs them more than ever now, and our culture is losing them quickly. I am finding the shift from 9-to-5 jobs to Gen Z culture a very interesting shift and a difficult conceptual shift for many. But if you follow history on a linear path—which many like to think of themselves as historians—I myself think of myself as a closet historian—they are a product, yes, a product, of what they were taught.
I take what I was taught, and I am a glorious mixture of contemporary, conceptual abstractionism, and a 9-to-5er. I, with all my heart, believe in what the Gen Zers believe—entrepreneurship, creative ventures. Where we differ is in individualism and uniqueness, that extremely, extremely important element in abstract expressionism that gets erased—like the painting by de Kooning erased by Robert Rauschenberg—where the act itself was the creative act.
Featured image: The Present
The Creator’s Creation
When I was teaching young adults, and they would do something outside of the classroom—something incredibly stupid (yes, stupid—sorry, I can’t think of a better word for driving on a slippery patch of ice on a curve, fast, as a challenge to see if you can defy all odds)—they always seemed to think at the same time, “Oh, but it won’t happen to me.”
Well, it happened to them—and it happens to them. Their “won’t happen to me” eventually runs out. All of my own “won’t happen to me’s” have run out, too. I try not to do those things anymore, but, well, they still happen to me.
For the most part, my magic wand still works for some reason—but the magic feels different now. I seem to be, I feel to be—at least lately—visualizing almost constantly the task that has been before me for most of my life. Maybe it’s because I realize more than ever that life is so, so precious—and yes, so short—and all I truly have is today.
Yesterday is history.
Tomorrow is a mystery.
But today—today—is a gift.
He believes in me. I believe in Him. His spirit runs in my veins—always has. I can feel it. I have always felt it.
I am the Creator’s creation. I am a creator. And while I still do “stupid” things, thank goodness I still feel His spirit—His magic wand—in my soul, in my heart, and in His will for me.
Art isn’t about art, but about life and its struggle to make meaning out of everything. Art gives the artist a way to speak about their sense of reality and its ups and downs.
Featured image: Leaves at the Base of an Oak Tree
Every once in a
while your gaze
just stops—stops in
its tracks. Something
wonderful has caught
your eye.
Just stops
your gaze in its tracks.
Just stops your gaze
in its tracks.
Today my eyes caught the
sunlight glowing on top of the
red oak leaves
in the woods.
They have turned… early.
The red, a beautiful
golden red,
stopped and
bathed in
God’s glory.
Featured image: Oak Leaves II
There is a small oak tree
beneath a
canopy of pine branches,
whose leaves have all
turned yellow.
There is a small red
birdhouse
hanging, abandoned for
the season.
Quietly, seasons pass.
Time has come and
gone, never
to return.
Featured image: Kazan River
Change in our lives requires movement. This movement is like a river, a flow.
A river is grace. And this grace becomes destiny.
This destiny, filled with our Creator, is where our freedom truly lies.
This river surrounds us with caresses of freedom.
Surrender to them—for a beautiful intimacy and the yes, yes, yes to the flow of freedom in our lives.
Featured image: Different Journeys
Today as I sit quietly in the garden a gentle breeze brushes through the trees rusting softly the leaves. The same gentle breeze is caressing my face softly. Freedom for me is like this breeze, is like the wind. If I can think of anything that is free – the wind comes to mind immediately. But is freedom ever as free as the wind? No. But we can get close to it through the choices we make when we create and how we choose to live.
America is about freedom. America is about independence. America is about individualism. America is about not allowing others to do for you what you can do for yourself.
So how ever did the notion of freedom become linked with not figuring things out by yourself? The notion of being an artist is all about the freedom of coming up with your own idea and your own concept. Then, creating it with the same freedom you were able to use to come up with the idea.
Featured image: Hummingbird Late Fall 2025
Change
Have you ever noticed that change never changes?
Ha!
I can always tell when fall has come, the hummers are no longer here. And I can always tell when the rebirth of spring is in the air – the hummers return. The hummers have gone from my area now, and while fall has not fully arrived, there are definitely signs of fall in the air. Fall and spring are such incredible, beautiful seasons. They can symbolize change, and the progression and transformation inherent in our experiences of life, the cycles of life.
I think change is why I like writing histories. Histories can change slowly, or they can change quickly. Just taking one word from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary: ‘luxury.’ The original definition of luxury was lechery and lust. Now the current meaning of luxury carries a far more positive connotation as it means “to grow profusely.”
And if you take the “idea” of “art” well we have all gone through the exercise of just “what is art?” question.
But this week the word change certainly has shouted change to me. I really barely knew who Charlie Kirk was, but the X generation certainly did – on both sides. Why has the news media broken down the story of his death into 2 sides – a binary – why? And once I knew more about him, I was saddened to the quick about his death and the change his death had brought to me. And the change in the word “fascist” I found very interesting – I thought to myself – why was the man believed to be a fascist? I would never have labeled him a fascist, yet another why of creating change, labeling others.
I always thought of fascists as Nazi-like, Hitler-like, yet this man was a Christian. So I looked up the root word fascist. Keeping this simple the word fascist seems to have been used by all political groups according to Wikipedia, “Anti-fascism has been an element of movements across the political spectrum and holding many different political positions such as anarchism, communism, pacifism, republicanism, social democracy, socialism and syndicalism as well as centrist, conservative, liberal and nationalist viewpoints.”
The point being words and their meanings change – but one word I believe carries the same meaning across every political spectrum: ‘freedom.’ I have written a lot about the word freedom. I will put it in my next journal entry.
For now I will end with a James Nathan Muir quote.
“FREEDOM lies just beyond the fences we build around ourselves.”
James Nathan Muir
Featured image: Sowing the Seeds of Change
The concept of “change” appears throughout history: people change, words change, concepts change. I have been mainly interested in how concepts change. I give two examples below; this is not meant to be all-inclusive.
The Bible: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find.”
Judaism: “We will do and we will hear.”
The key principles reflected in these quotes are faithfulness, trust, patience, and belief.
Many poets have also written about expectations and beliefs:
“Expect your every need to be met, expect the answer to every problem, expect abundance on every level, expect to grow spiritually.”
— Eileen Caddy
“Look and you will find it – what is unsought will go undetected.”
— Sophocles
“It is with my power either to serve God or not to serve Him.
Serving Him, I add to my own good and the good of the whole world.
Not serving Him, I forfeit my own good and deprive the world of that good,
which was in my power to create.”
— Leo Tolstoy
Personally, I think Tolstoy is right. The whole reason for bringing these ideas and concepts up here is “change.” Ideas, concepts, and words shift throughout history. Nothing is consistent; they change according to what different cultures—and the people within them—need in order to survive and thrive. The one thing that I have found that remains relatively stable is the concept of creativity.
Featured image: Spider Web
So delicate, the intricate, silky fibers of a spider's web.
These fibers are woven within the morning dew of the lush green grass.
These fibers are thick, not as thick as a cotton ball but thick enough to be
A loosely woven blanket for the American funnel spider, hiding deep within one
She has created funnel holes in her blanket.
Such a delicate, delicate thing this spider and its symmetrical color and design, and its web, and what appears to be
Chaos, but I am sure it is finely tuned.
Oh the hand of the Creator, and the spider's hands, or hands, all creators one.
Amazing things we can do.
Featured image: Ready Set
Your journey isn’t made up of ironclad rules. Your journey isn’t a recipe you follow, and everything will come out just fine. You aren’t a wind-up toy heading in the same direction as all the other wind-up toys.
Each of us needs to find our unique path to follow. We need to remove the key that someone else can use to wind us up and instead wind ourselves up, traveling our journey.
Featured image: Climbing Tree
A small finch lands on a branch of a tree.
That tree, once so scraggly, is now deep in color.
I wanted to cut it down way back when.
Make more room in the garden, I said.
But we didn’t cut it down, and now it thrives.
That tree reminds me every time when I look
at its beauty,
that, like that tree, we need to give
others a chance and space to thrive.
Featured image: Storm Dances
She watched the
Sheet of rain
Slide across the
Lake
Turning the horizon
Grey
Then black
Lightning golden bolts
Whipped across the
Sky
What energy
Excitement
She took a deep breath
Embracing the
Storm
Featured image: Flowing River
River, full
Continuous motion
Always active and changing
Mysterious
Always intimate with beauty
Featured image: Sweet Sweet Surrender- The Spirit of the Land, The Flow of the Water
I feel like I am on top of the world.
Curve
Small pine
Peeks of black spruce
On the horizon
Bobbing in the water
The energy from the
Lake
Emerging, emerging
I wish it was
Perpetual
It makes you feel so
Alive
So very
alive
Featured image: Fishing at the Top of the World
Fishing pole in hand Feeling the bottom of the lake Deep, deep down Feeling connected to all That is as I look towards The horizon So far, so far away Touching the sky Feeling connected to all To all that is
The energy That rises from the Pole To the horizon – To all that is Just... So powerful
Featured image: Backyard Birds
I am truly honored that my painting Backyard Birds received the Bronze Medal Award at the 32nd Annual Red River Watercolor Society National Juried Watermedia Exhibition.
This national exhibition, juried by the talented Kim Johnson Nechtman and held at the Diederich Art Gallery at Minnesota State University Moorhead, celebrates the power and beauty of watermedia in all its forms.
I’m deeply grateful for this recognition and for the chance to share my work alongside so many inspiring artists. Thank you to the Red River Watercolor Society, the juror, and to everyone who continues to support and celebrate the arts. Moments like this remind me of the joy of creating and the connections art makes possible.
Featured image: I Come to the Garden Alone
When I lived in England, my home was a row house in the middle of a bunch of other row houses, with the saddest little plot of grass—at most 10x10—in the front and a brick-paved space in the back, allowing for a tiny backyard or front yard to play in.
But I was fortunate. There was a huge English garden right across the street from our house, so when I was home from an English girls' boarding school, I could wander the very cultivated paths. There were places to play cricket, tennis, soccer, or simply sit and read.
My favorite spot was two sitting benches, and in between them stood a large stone monument with a poem written in 1913 by Dorothy Frances Gurney, called God's Garden. I have always loved this poem. I used to sit on those benches and find peace there. I even have a plaque with this poem written on it in my own garden.
“The kiss of the sun for pardon,
The song of the birds for mirth,
One is closer to God’s Heart in a garden
Than anywhere else on earth.”
Featured image: Sun, Tree, Water
Even a day later, I can feel the rhythm of the water running through my body, making it one with the water, the earth, and the sky. Moving with all that is—this is the "isness" that I always talk about.
A day later, reflecting on the wonderful experiences we had, I look at my hands and see, I still have the earth of the Northwest Territories under my nails. This earth, this tiny bit of earth and its totalness, represents the silence as the day ended far off on the horizon; the songs the wind and the trees sang; and the waves as they came crashing on the shore. The song of the line of forever, drawn between the water and the sky. The song of wholeness. The song of yes, yes, yes that I always talk about.
The song of life, of connectedness, of naturalness, of possibilities—and the song of just being alive.
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I’ve just returned from an incredible trip to the Northwest Territories in Canada, and my heart is full. One of the highlights? Catching a massive 37-pound lake trout—all by myself! (Though in the photo it looks like Brad is helping me, I only asked him to hold it so we could safely release it. The lake is catch-and-release, and I didn’t want to risk harming such a beautiful fish.)
It was a thrilling fight—the trout was deep, and it took a long time to bring it in on a jig. The moment I finally landed it, I was elated! Beyond that, we also caught grayling and pike, making it a full and unforgettable fishing adventure.
Ten days of wild beauty, big fish, and endless wonder. Truly, my heart is filled.
Featured image: What Lies Beneath
Possibility is far more frightening, far more terrifying than any impossibility.
Think about that one.
Featured image: Arizona Landscape
Landscapes quietly absorb the tones, textures and rhythms of our living.
Featured 3D Sculpture: Fish
There are no rules for our creative journeys. If there were, we would all be wind-up toys heading in the same directions—or no direction—and never knowing what that direction is.
I have been collecting wind-up toys for a piece in my new 3-D series (I have enough ideas for my 3-D series to last a year or more, honestly). I told folks during the tour that when I first moved most of the 3-D collection out to its new spot, I just started assembling all my ideas. Finally, I had to say to myself – stop, just stop, you can’t do this – so I am limiting myself to three at a time. I will photo a couple of them that are pretty well along so you can see where I am heading with this.
One is a hand-carved fish. It came with a letter about who carved the fish. Beautiful history. It is mounted on a turned-upside-down fruit bowl. Hand-turned. Beautiful wood. Some huge cracks in it that had to be fixed. I had no idea these things would take so much time to work on.
You may be saying to yourself – why is she destroying history like that – but I am not. I am just bringing history forward, imagining what it might be like, what it could be like, giving others ideas, and perhaps an idea that might possibly trigger something else, and then something else—sort of like science fiction in the arts. The key here is to imagine, to think outside the box, and not be some wind-up toy just playing follow the leader.
Well, perhaps I will only share one with you all—and share them with you slowly—not to overwhelm you with too much creative thinking.
Love to all of you.
C
P.S. Note: the big fish has a smaller fish in his mouth—the lure is a vintage lure—the key is an old clock key
Featured image: Hummer III
Play
Play
Play
"What we play is life." — Louis Armstrong
Couldn’t agree more with him. Creativity is the natural order of life. Life is energy—pure creative energy I believe—and when we don’t have it, our life isn’t the best. You can feel it.
Play
Play
Play
Your empowerment of life is your spirit; your spirit is your creative energy. Let it flow. My eyes were closed. I could feel the energy of the hummingbird’s wings hover above my face. I imagined that little being there, smelling the sweet nectar of my coffee and the red potted flowers next to me—sweet, sweet life.
I'm excited to share that one of my newest pieces, Northwoods (30x60, watermedia on clayboard), was featured in the 60th Annual Manito Art League Art Show —and received a Merit Award Ribbon!
This annual show is a special tradition in our region and celebrated 60 years of promoting great art in the beautiful Northwoods. I’m grateful to be part of a creative community that supports artists through exhibitions, workshops, and weekly plein air gatherings.
A heartfelt thank you to the Manito Art League for this recognition and for continuing to nurture the arts in such a meaningful way. Being part of this milestone year made it all the more special.
I'm honored to share that my painting Backyard Birds has been accepted into the 32nd Annual Red River Watercolor Society National Juried Watermedia Exhibition!
This year’s show will be held at the beautiful Diederich Art Gallery at Minnesota State University Moorhead, from August 25 to September 19, and juried by the incredibly talented Kim Johnson Nechtman.
I'm deeply thankful to be included among so many inspiring artists and grateful for opportunities like this that celebrate the joy and challenge of working in watercolor.
If you're in the area, I hope you'll stop by and experience the exhibition!
Featured image: Travelers
The divine in us is there all the time. We just need to wake it up and discover it. It will always be there to travel with us on our creative, very unique, individual journey of life.
I'm honored and truly grateful to share that my piece "Shelter" received the Gale Wilcox Award, a Special Merit Award at the 38th Northern National Art Competition held at Nicolet College in Rhinelander, Wisconsin.
Juried by interdisciplinary artist, educator, and curator Jalesa Johnston, this national exhibition showcases a wide range of powerful, contemporary two-dimensional work. I’m incredibly thankful to be included in such a vibrant and inspiring show.
Juror Jaleesa Johnston reflected on Shelter, saying it “really captures the emotional central movement of the oceans. It straddles a line between a representational work and an abstract—just like the ocean. I feel like I’m in a boat in the middle of the ocean.”
Thank you to Nicolet College, the Northern Arts Council, and everyone involved in making this exhibition such a meaningful experience. Shelter was a deeply personal piece, and it’s humbling to see it recognized in this way.
Featured image: Northwoods
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who visited during the Northwoods Art Tour this past weekend. It was such a joy to welcome you into my creative space, share conversations about art, and see so many familiar—and new—faces.
Your interest, encouragement, and thoughtful presence mean more than words can express. I truly believe in the power of art to keep our communities colorful, curious, and deeply connected—and your support helps make that possible.
Thank you for making space in your weekend for creativity, for celebrating the arts, and for reminding me why this work matters.
Until next time—stay inspired, stay bold, and keep color in your world.
Blessings to all,
Christine
The Northwoods Art Tour kicks off today, and I’d love to welcome you into my creative space! This self-guided tour is your chance to visit working studios, meet local artists, and experience the creative spirit of the Northwoods in full swing.
From expressive paintings to unexpected 3-D works, each stop offers something different—and you just might discover a piece that resonates with you.
You’ll find me at Stop #13 in the brochure. Come say hello, explore the work, and enjoy the beauty of art in the Northwoods.
🗓️ July 25–27
Learn more: https://christinealfery.com/pages/northwoods-art-tour
Featured image: Dancing with the Wind and the Trees
In my backyard forest, the trees aren’t in rows. They are scattered about. Below are huge pines and saplings, aspens whose leaves are flat and twist and turn in the breeze.
In my forest, the ground is moist and spongy. There are deep, deep brown mosses, fallen bark, and dried fall leaves from years ago.
In my forest, there is a very dense canopy. Sunlight peeks through in some spots.
In my forest, trees growing along the lakeshore have roots exposed from the soft sandy soil. These roots look like branches with no leaves, but they are powerful, muscular roots that bring life to the tree.
While walking in my forest, I listen to squirrels performing high-wire acts from tree to tree. I breathe slowly, full of gladness.
There is magic in my forest.
The Northwoods Art Tour is almost here, and I’m excited to invite you into my creative world! This self-guided tour is a rare opportunity to explore working studios, connect with local artists, and experience the vibrant energy of the Northwoods art scene.
From painting and sculpture to unexpected 3-D creations, every stop offers something unique—and you might just find that one piece that speaks to you.
You’ll find me at Stop #13 in the brochure. I’d love to share what I’ve been creating and chat about the inspiration behind it all.
🗓️ July 25–27
🔗 Learn more: https://christinealfery.com/pages/northwoods-art-tour
See you there!
Featured image: Part of the Whole
One who rises
Rises of himself.
One who falls, falls from
Himself.
I don’t remember where this quote comes from, but it is a definitely contemporary rewrite of Ecclesiastes 4:10.
Featured image: Hawk III
Image of Wings coming soon.
I have just finished three pieces of art, two of which I have been very excited about for some time, "Wings" and "Hawk III." They are going into the Manito Art Exhibition.
I am calling them "Wings" and "Predator" for the exhibition. I had to name them early for the entry form, but as I was finishing, they took on different names.
These two pieces have been the focus of my journal for some time, and upon completing them, I found they didn't live up to the hype I had built up in my mind. Has that ever happened to anyone else? These end thoughts about the two pieces are choked with all those wonderful, creative thoughts that occurred when I was creating the works.
"Grrrrr... go away. Why are you here?" Has this ever happened to any of you?
I close my eyes - listen quietly - breathe deeply, become one with the earth and remember why I create, not to make a perfect piece, but to weave and be one with the rest of "things" to be the "yes, yes, yes."
The first things I see when I open my eyes are two silvery drops on a green leaf.
I hear hummingbirds over my head.
Trees dancing with the breeze.
The two works are just fine.
The Northwoods Art Tour is just around the corner, and I’m thrilled to be a part of it! This self-guided tour is your chance to step into working studios, meet local artists, and see creativity come to life across the Northwoods.
From painting and pottery to sculpture and more, each stop on the tour is filled with inspiration—and maybe even that perfect piece you didn’t know you were looking for.
You’ll find me at Stop #13 in the brochure. I’d love to show you what I’ve been working on and chat about the process behind it. Hope to see you there!
Learn More HERE.
Featured work: Why Do We Have Art
There are many ways to be creative. The beauty of creativity is that there is no right and wrong way. Creativity begins with abstractions that need to become – to become visible, to become an idea – just to become to become. Creativity is unique to the one who is creating – defined by spirit, the heart, and the soul of that individual.
Scientists are creative. Da Vinci knew that.
“To develop a complete mind: Study the science of art; Study the art of science. Learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else.“
Artists are creative. Da Vinci knew that too.
“Where the spirit does not work with the hand, there is no art.”
“Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen.”
It takes a creative mind to see a concept from an abstraction – to understand what it is. As children, we all begin with a creative mind. Creativity stops when we put limitations on that creative spirit – we teach them to color in the lines, teach how to find the one “right” answer. Whether the creative mind is nourished or stifled happens along the path to adulthood. We stop playing. We stop imagining. We stop exploring other pathways of “what” and “way” and questioning why certain truths have come to be.
Imagine a child’s endless creative spirit – and then imagine limiting that spirit. Limit how they color. Limit how they see the world. Tell them what they see, how they are expressing it, is wrong. Choosing to color outside the lines at that age takes a powerful creative spirit that cannot be squashed. Is your creative spirit like that? I'm excited to share a preview of my second 3D sculpture from my new studio! My first sculpture won't be revealed just yet, as it's headed to the Manito Art League's Art Show, and their guidelines prevent any prior public display. I encourage you to attend the 60th Annual Art Show from July 17-20, 2025, at the Manitowish Waters Community Center.
This new piece is tentatively titled "Why Do We Have Art?" It was created to emphasize the pivotal role of "idea" in artistic expression and the indispensable nature of freedom, without which the generation of ideas would be impossible. You can view this piece at the Campanile Center for the Susan B. Smith Art Gallery.
The sculpture is constructed from repurposed and found objects that I have meticulously assembled, objects that would typically have been used for different purposes and conveyed different messages.
Featured image: The Creative
I believe mystery is at the heart of creativity. Surprise is too.
All too often, we call ourselves creatives, but what we really want is to feel like artists—productive, inspired, original. Yet if we’re honest with ourselves, we don’t always feel that way. I include myself in that truth.
There are so very, very few times I feel like an artist, like I’m truly creating—but when I do, I know it. I sense the mystery, I feel the surprise. And I know those of you who long to be artists, who long to create, feel it too. It’s glorious, isn’t it?
I often ask myself how I can feel that way more often. The answer is always the same: trust the process, not the product.
And that’s hard—because there’s pressure coming at me from so many directions.
Featured image: Fences
“FREEDOM lies just beyond the fences we build around ourselves.” James Nathan Muir
Featured image: We Are Connected
The stories we, as artists, tell when we create and the powers we release during the process are our unique ways of interpreting the world. Each interpretation is a one-of-a-kind history we leave behind; no one else has a history like ours. Our personal experiences in the world belong to us alone. We create our good, and yes, we also make our own bad. If we align with the creative spirit within ourselves and allow ourselves to share it with others, it can be a daunting and intimidating thing to do. Why? Because we became very vulnerable at that time. If we create our good, we can trust in our authenticity and that of others.
I believe that when a viewer evaluates a completed piece of art, they are seeking some spiritual connection with another, and then another, and then another; the process is fluid. The fluidity is the spiritual connection to the artist's spiritual power. And this spiritual power is only felt by an authentic artist.
Featured image: White Road - A Creative's Journey
The divine within you is there for you to awaken and discover. And when you travel your unique creative journey, it will be joyful, wonderful, glorious, and fulfilling.
