C.J. MacLeod started out as an advertising designer in California and went on to become an Art Director in print and TV at McCann Erickson Advertising in Toronto, Canada, for such clients as Levi's, Coca Cola, and Christie-Brown (Nabisco). She left to be a painter and a "real" writer. She studied fine art and philosophy and worked as a receptionist and painted mornings, nights and weekends. Her work has been exhibited in galleries, shows, and venues in Canada and the U.S. She moved to Northern New Mexico in 1998. she is currently working on a series of intense still lifes.

The Black Ruby Toolbox News is her creativity "zine" that is sent out six or more times a year via snail mail to subscribers nationally. She has had pieces published in The Sun, a literary magazine, The Vancouver Sun newspaper, The Toronto Star newspaper, The North Toronto Post newspaper, and The Taos News. She published two poetry chapbooks for other writers, and published a novel that sold almost a hundred copies. She was a finalist in the Canadian Broadcasting Company's national literary contest.

Over the past two decades, C.J. has delved extensively into such questions as:

• How can I simplify my life?
• Are all these problems resolvable?
• If health is feeling good most of the time, is this an achievable goal?
• How can I be real in this world?
• Is it possible to have both human success and material success?
• How can I benefit others?

She says, "Great Spirit Mystery, give me strength. Teach me to love."

MacLeod has taught writing, design, drawing and painting. She has studied writing with Natalie Goldberg and painting with Don Ward in Taos and for several years conducted a weekly writing group in Taos. She makes crazy wisdom embroidered samplers and art quilts. Her paintings can be seen on this website. A sample copy of the newsletter may be requested by your snail mail address for a sample copy.