What’s Inspiring me/ Nurturing me Right Now
I feel like I am waking up from a deep hibernation. Slowly stepping out of the caves (still masked, please and thank you!) and feeling a new warmth in the sunlight has been reinvigorating for both myself and my work.
A little lighter hand, a little lighter spirit. (And two weeks away from being fully vaccinated!!)
Here are a few other things that are inspiring/nurturing me right now;
LOOK AT THESE BUDS:
Everything is new and smells so good. Walking around our neighborhood has been a multi-sensory experience lately.
I will never not feel like painting after looking at Magnolia/cherry blooms. Even the puppy is getting in on the sniffing action.
Midweek ‘Cheese’ plates:
I’ve been making little ‘cheese’ plates every so often - olives, this really good vegan feta and crackers. Sitting outside at like 5pm with one of these bad boys has been the perfect selfcare.
Books:
I’m currently reading The Curators Handbook and Dog is Love. The first has been a great dive into the world of curation - something I know little about but would like to know more. The latter book has been a really neat look into the minds of our canine friends, both domesticated and non-domesticated. If either of these subjects interests you I highly recommend checking them out.
Hope you are all doing well and staying safe. I’ll have a more art-focused post next time.
<3
Colorado Inspiration
I have a running list of the things I love about Colorado; the friendly people, the smell of warm pine needles, bike paths GALORE and barleywine are just are few.
Oh. AND THE COLORS.
I've visited the state throughout most of it's seasons (no, this is not another I <3 Autumn post) and it is consistently one of the most colorful and beautiful places I've been too.
(Ok, ok, it helps that is autumn. But this state is absolutely just as beautiful during the Winter/Spring/Summer too.)
The moment we returned I gathered my hastily-painted sketches from the field and starting working on a few of the palettes that remained ingrained in my mind from our travels.
So I left the bags packed in the corner, popped on my Skyrim soundtrack (my favorite for painting with the outdoors in mind) and spent the next few hours scouring through my photos and playing with my paint.
Being that I'm still rather intrigued by a circular canvas format, I decided to keep the sketched palettes contained within that shape. Now I just need to get better at stretching canvas around circular boards...
With the palettes on paper, I was able to go back to adult things for a little while; packing, laundry, restocking the fridge...etc, but I'm hoping to come back to these soon.
Are there any other places that you might recommend specifically for their colors? I'm in the midst of building my travel list for next year, so I'm allllll ears!
Have a great week friends <3
A Moment to Breathe
Every so often, I need a reset.
This time we took off for the serene landscape of Northern Michigan; the crunch of the dunes, the smell of deep cedar forests (yes, just like in California*) and that glorious chilled morning air that always seems to snap my thoughts back into focus.
We may not live in a time of fairy god mothers and magical rejuvenation spells, but the feeling of a warm, full coffee mug in my barely-awakened hands as I step out into the brisk morning air is close enough for me.
The mornings were spent sketching, the days spent hiking and the nights spent eating and intermittently falling asleep on the couch. It was brilliant.
Towards the end of our time in the pinky-finger portion of the state I took up residence by the cafe on the beach. It was off-season, so I had the whole lovely sun-warmed patio to myself. Well, myself and the yellow-jackets... they were rather persistent.
I started this painting before leaving Miami, but was stuck as to how to complete it. Sitting here, swatting the wasps away I saw the palette I'd use to finish it up.
The week spent in Glen Arbor MI was just beautiful, affording me a chance to renew and reenergize my thoughts about my work.
...And to eat enough whitefish pate to drown a man.
And now that I'm fully unpacked, photos are backed up and sketches are preserved I'm ready to start work on all the new ideas I had whilst holding that scalding coffee mug.
Michigan, you are all right in my book.
Michigan
A few pictures from a week spent in Michigan.
I love it when they look like marshmellows...
This tree is by the door to my childhood home. I can't get enough of the smell and the *inches* of petals that lie around the base.
One of the many family farms that grace the country side of the state.
Though I haven't lived in the state for nearly 9 years, I always treasure the moments I have when I'm back. The air always smells 'green', people are always so, so caring (even to perfect strangers) and the countryside is really quite beautiful.
I'd like to think someday I'll end up back there :)
Miami Sunset
Occasionally I get questions about my color choices, wondering how I pick what I pick. I usually explain that I try to take my palettes from nature, finding my inspiration in the sea, clouds and flowers.
And these sunsets. These. Are. Everything.
