My latest polymath obsession 🍞

It’s bread. I’ve been having more fun baking than I ever thought possible!

I need to do an overhaul on the studio to get it back to regular operation- that’s a common pattern for winter, when I don’t always stay down there in the cold long enough to tidy up properly and things get left out everywhere! But, I have a few thoughts of new creative items to revamp my Etsy shop with… we’ll have to see what comes out of them.

The first sweet light of summer

It’s almost here. Or, it is here, but lightly; just an outline, a silver-gold sliver shining on the edge of each object I look at. And, oh how there is so much to look at. Belly down, nose inches from the leaves. On tiptoe, reaching last what we can usually see. Having children changes the way you look at things. This summer will be our most expansive yet- a summer of deep breaths, fresh air, wide open spaces and a moment or two to kick up our feet and just look around.

✨

Full Moon RefleCtions

Summer is winding down and a full harvest moon is here. I miss my babies, even though they are sleeping just one wall away. We’ve leaned hard into family and community lately, all the activities and outings, and socials and book club and dinners and things. And it fills my cup as much as it wears me out (quite a bit, on both counts). I have so many new art pieces in the works, and yet, as always, I still want more. I am playing with a few ideas for entirely new endeavors. And, I am proud of myself, as I’ve also been gaining ground on some goals I’ve had for some time now (mostly in the self-care, education, and productivity genres.) but these days are flying by, and I try as hard as I can to enjoy every moment of them. ✨

Dreamy Orange Creamy Layers

I am tickled by the layers in this piece. It’s turning out better than I ever could have imagined, and the little nuances inside of it are just so fascinating. It’s very close to being finished and I can’t wait to see the final product!

Summer solStice

These sunsets have been downright cinematic lately. Not that these photos do them much justice, but holy cow. I just can’t stop staring at the sky on our way home from work.

This summer I’m breathing deep breaths in, deep breaths out, and exhaling all these glittering little magical creatures into creation. I’m here for the long days and bright colors and big growth. ✨

Some lovely new beginnings

I’m trying to get a little more interesting with my backgrounds. Historically, I’ve just spread some thin colors in anticipation of coloring most of it with a thicker pour at some point down the line, but twice now I’ve had some very lovely backgrounds (this one included), and I’m enjoying the new dimensions here. In a problematic turn of events, however, the last time I had a pretty background I promptly covered it up with some thicker pours 🤦‍♀️ So the challenge for this sweet beast will be to not do that. Wish me luck ✨

In case youre Wondering

Something about the Squarespace mobile app randomly capitalizes letters in my titles. It bothers me too, haha, but right now I’m going for progress over perfection with my posting habits so I guess we all just have to deal with it.

I got some studio time in this morning, I’m sitting in the sunshine with my green tea, I’m breathing in wet dirt and fresh air and I’m in love with my people. I hope you’re having a great day too.

The constant stRuggle

It’s nothing new. But as a parent, the hardest part is trying to soak it all in. You’re always aware of how fleeting time is, how fast it passes, and you admonish yourself for ever wishing that it might go more quickly, even for a moment. But in most of the moments, you beg for time to slow down, hell even to pause, so that you might remember every sparkle of sunshine that reflects from their faces and every little way they move or chuckle or sigh. And, right when they push you to the edge with their insane toddler logic or relentless waking, they pull you back in with some perfectly adorable sticky hug or nuzzle against your neck.

I don’t have as much time to make art these days as I have in the past. It’s ok; it’s temporary, and I still make enough to get by. But sometimes I wish I had a whole day to spend in the studio, uninterrupted, just building on all the ideas I’ve got floating in my brain. And I try not to let that frustrate me, because I look around and I see these beautiful creatures (that I made! How’s that for artistic creation!) and I take a breath, and I remember that the studio will be there, unchanged, the next morning, but these little faces will have grown just a little bit older.

Springtime stirrings

It’s nearly springtime, which means that we can finally start to play outside and enjoy the studio again without freezing our butts off. This is the first year that Bowie is old enough to really be able to sit in the studio with me and work on her own things while I paint, which is just awesome; I cannot wait until we can both spend long days in there. Rip is growing like a weed and just so eager to move and travel and crawl and walk and run. He wants to keep up with her so badly.

All I want to do is to dig in the garden and soak up the sunshine and lay in a hammock and paint in the studio ☀️