Salista Lea Camarda lent me a book this summer to while away the hours during our annual beach trip. Written by Benjamin Labatut, When We Cease to Understand the World explores how mathematics shapes and illuminates the world in which we live. One key take away was the idea that scientists use mathematics to draw pictures of reality and possibility. With that inspiration, I offer you the following information to help you formulate a picture of where the Salon for Creative Expression began and what is in store for 2026.

In 2025, 14 guest artists appeared in the Salon, engaging our community through music, poetry, literature, painting, mosaic glass, photography, pottery, and gardening. In addition, nine Salistas were featured and 33 shared their achievements, announcements and personal endeavors in the Salon’s newsletter, The Creative Courier. Here’s some data about those that enjoyed the effort:

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• 99  people subscribe to the Salon and thus became Salistas.

• 973 people attended the Salon over the course of the year.

• 1,918 visits were made to the Salon over the course of the year.

• 253 people were repeat visitors to the Salon.

If we were a traditional salon, we would meet in my living room but that can only hold ten at most. Fortunately, our virtual Salon can hold all of us. And come you do, from all over the U.S. and from many parts of the world.

Within the U.S.A., guests came from AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, HI, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME MN, MO, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, SC, TN, TX, VT, UT, VA, WA, WI and WV.

In addition to the U.S., people attended the Salon from Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, India, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Mexico, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, and the United Kingdom.

2026 is going to be a another great year in the Salon. We kick it off with a musical performance by a father/son duet from MN. Future guest artists include a poet laureate, two Pushcart nominees, a jazz pianist, master craftsman, seamstress, painter, classical pianist, photographer, novelist and healer.

Thank you for your presence in the Salon. In a fractured world, we unite around the arts. We are a community with one purpose: to encourage YOU to express yourself through creative endeavors. Please share your work, polished or not, through our Creative Courier newsletter. In doing so, you inspire and encourage others.