Blog

Last weekend, I attended a meditation retreat in the Blue Ridge Mountains. (Heartwood Retreat Center). 
Four days of meditation, yoga, vegetarian food and the woods.

Yeah, it was awesome. 🥰

So far, I've been able to bring it back home and add it to my daily routine. I've woken up early every day (before the dogs!) and sat for 10 minutes. This is pretty huge for me, and I'm noticing the benefits already.

I keep thinking about the last day when I practiced Meditation Visualization.

happy new year!
I hope all is well with you as we begin 2022.

Do you like to make resolutions? I found myself not really resonating with that concept this year. Instead, I've picked up writing morning pages again, which was a practice I began last summer. (from The Artist's Way) As a result, I launched back into painting and have several new pieces in the works and finally finished this big painting of a fox trio!

My journey to the Costa Rican rainforest was full of abundance.

You may have noticed that I spent 6 glorious day at a painting retreat, Fearless Abstract Painting, in Costa Rica last week.  I didn't have any idea what to expect. I had never been to Costa Rica, and this was my first painting retreat EVER. 💙

Let me just state the obvious: It was transformative.

I thought I’d share a beautiful encounter with you.

On the 4th of July, a joyful and highly anticipated day in my community, a large number of people congregated at the neighborhood pool for a cookout and day of swimming and relaxing.

Right before school was out, a dear friend of mine messaged me with a commission request. She asked if I could paint a butterfly for her son's teacher, a woman who had lost her son in 2016 to a senseless murder.

I wasn't sure if I could make it happen with all the schedule obligations, but I told her I would see what I could do. After a few back and forth texts, I learned more about the family, and that the son's mother would see butterflies and be reminded of her beautiful boy. And, my friend asked to include the #4 in some way if possible, which was the number on his team jersey.

Even though I had other projects on my list, I took a break and did some sketches.

It's August y'all. Can you believe it? 
It's hot in Atlanta. School's not back in cause we're in a pandemic. Every day feels like groundhog day.

So I've been meditating.

Yeah, I don't normally meditate, and I've tried off and on over the years. It's not easy, and I don't always necessarily look forward to it. 🙃

I was lamenting to a friend on how it's difficult for me to stick with one media in painting, She said, that's how you explore and make discoveries. And while I already know that, it still feels like so much can be going on at once and there can be a lack of focus.

Well, who knew we'd be here a month ago? 

2020 has been quite the bizarre dream so far. We're embarking on another week of social distancing, and I'm sure, like me, you've wondered, "What day is today?" Waking up each morning, getting your coffee/tea and start your telecommute day or knowing you have to fill your days with unstructured busy-ness to keep everyone sane (especially yourself) is a challenge to say the least.

My last workshop I taught was on March 15 and it's stayed with me for awhile. I've been thinking about that day and how we quietly knew it was the last time we'd be in a social environment. Even though we were already distancing, washing hands and being careful-everyone was thankful for some time to be creative and around others that day.

So with spring unceremoniously upon us, watercolor painting feels appropriate for me right now. Flowers are exploding around us, and nature is doing it's thing. While we lose sleep, wring our hands and wonder how we're going to get through this, nature doesn't notice. Pollen is here in the south (ugh), the carpenter bees are as horny as ever and while each day is not feeling any different, just remember that change is constant. We will not be in this forever, but we can enjoy the solitude, reflect on what matters and connect with nature. After all, now's the time to take a hike, read a book on your porch or hang out in your front yard on a blanket and stare up at the sky. 

February is coming to a close and while it's not one of my favorite months (winter is NOT my jam, brrr) it does have its perks. Looking back, some creative a-ha moments occurred.

Writing is something I don't do enough of, but certain words or phrases have been connecting lately and has me thinking more about how to incorporate them into a weekly mantra to nourish my creativity.