Every Common Bush

Earth is crammed with heaven, and every common bush afire with God; but only he who sees takes off his shoes." -Elizabeth Barret Browning I'm waking early these days. I haven't been able to pinpoint why until this morning. Usually, when I start waking up early, it's due to worries and cares vying for brain … Continue reading Every Common Bush

Kaleidoscope Living

Some days, all I see is brokenness. Everywhere, in my own life and in the lives of my friends, family, community, state and country...things are broken. Marriages and dreams, health and finances, family ties and good intentions, all have some aspect of brokenness - a tearing of the fabric,  holes of emptiness, or just flat-out … Continue reading Kaleidoscope Living

What if….?

What if you could create for just 7 days, a mere week of your life, and at the end of the week have a small series of works that hold together, have taught you a lot, and bring a smile to your face? And what if you didn't have to go anywhere or pay lots … Continue reading What if….?

When Magic Happens

It happens at various times along the way. Magic that is. Years ago, when I first swiped watercolor on a white page...I drew in my breath and held it as I watched the color move on the paper, blend with other colors. Something special was happening that was just for me. The magic of watercolor … Continue reading When Magic Happens

My Trellis

There's been lots of livin' and therefore lots of drawin'!! Somehow I thought life would slow down after the wedding, but since it hasn't, filled to the brim with all good things, I've taken to drawing to slow down the moments a bit, to lean into all the goodness jam-packed into my days and weeks. … Continue reading My Trellis

Fascination & Play

I am fascinated by many things. Nature, faces, shapes of objects, fibers, color, line, stitches, light...on and on to where I'm fairly dizzy with delight. This fascination is surely the heart of an artist's life. Being an artist has less to do with raw talent and more with being fascinated by something and granting oneself … Continue reading Fascination & Play

Drawing to See

I was railing at no one and everything, howling at the just-up sun, grappling with the ongoing sense that my life is out of control (even though it isn't). I know this song and dance. I've heard it many times before. I've railed so many times in my life now that it sounds like an … Continue reading Drawing to See

Be All Here

I sat on the edge of the steps leading down to the ocean from our beach house. Saying goodbye is always hard. A week of family, fun, rest, relaxing, walking, reading, drawing and knitting...hard to top that. I drank in the gorgeous sky above the water, trying to notice and take in everything about it … Continue reading Be All Here

Painting with Leaf & Flower

I've been thinking about Carol lately. Wondering if she is out in her butterfly garden getting it ready for spring and a new season of winged visitors. I imagine her deciding to move a plant or two, adding in a few more of this or that, trying something different to attract her favorite species of … Continue reading Painting with Leaf & Flower

Charcoal Love

I'm working through a batch of commission work, some of which is in charcoal. I love working with charcoal, especially portraiture. It is incredibly fun to watch a face emerge out of the ash on the page and to see personality peer back at you through the values. So much fun! I realized I never … Continue reading Charcoal Love