Women are complex. There are many aspects that make us whole.  Sometimes we are strong, sometimes we are scared and vulnerable, and most often we are somewhere in between.  In each chapter of our lives we change and become more than we were before, based on life circumstances.  Sometimes we revert backwards, and sometimes we leap forward. It is simply part of life.

As I wrap up another year of my art business, I often reflect on both my professional and personal life. I think about the accomplishments I have made, all the beautiful oopses that I learned from, and most importantly, all of my hopes and aspirations for the coming year.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what it means to be successful. How does society define success? How do the people closest to me define success? How do I define success?

The color red. It can be interpreted in so many ways. Some might see love and romance, some might see danger, some might see death, and some might see a combination of these things. It is a powerful color, one that shouts out, “look at me, but...

In the midst of finishing up summer fine art festivals, starting to teach art again, keeping up with my art shop, and trying to spend time with loved ones, life has been a bit overwhelming to say the least.  

This morning, I decided to put everything on hold and work on a new seascape painting that I recently started.  I was hopeful that I would finish it, but alas, four hours later I didn’t get as far as I thought.  It seems to be an ongoing theme with everything in my life these days.

When I was a young adult and perhaps even as far back as my teenage years, I dreamt of having a little girl. I didn’t care for a big family, I just wanted one very special little daughter to experience all the beauty of motherhood, to share my love and wisdom with her, and to help her find her own way in this big, crazy, beautiful world.

Time passed by quicker than expected, and as we all know life doesn’t always turn out how we hope. Needless to say, I never did get to experience motherhood, and it is a loss that I had to come to terms with. I painted Seascapes and Skies…

If you would like to heal, the best place to start is near a body of water.

It’s no secret that water heals us physically; we wash away infections and soak our muscles and joint pain away.

Water also heals us emotionally; did you know that being in water relaxes our central nervous systems which can reduce anxiety and depression? When you are exhausted from your day, or cold, or sad, or dirty (literally or figuratively), think about how you feel after taking a hot shower to wash away those emotions.

The most healing aspect of being near water for me though, is…

In my late twenties, after years of living a mundane life following society’s rule, I finally broke. I was absolutely miserable in corporate America. I woke up each morning dreading the day ahead of me. I might say, although I didn’t know it at the time, that I was in a deep state of depression.

I was desperate to live a different life; a life where I could be intrinsically happy, where I could do something that had purpose. My thoughts immediately centered around the one thing that has always been a part of me, my love for creating art.

When you look into your future, do you believe that your path is already set for you, or do you believe that you control the outcome?  Is there such a thing as destiny?  I believe that our future is like a blank canvas.  You’ve made the intention of having some sort of future because you’ve invested in the canvas, but what it will turn into is…

Most recently I have fallen in love with birds. They sort of pulled me out of darkness a short while ago (which is a story for another time). When I began this new collection, I became more fascinated with each new discovery. As each painting came to life, my happiness grew.

My hope is that as you view this collection…