Above is the newest drawing from my series, Drawing From Within.

As with all drawings in this series, I started this one with nothing in mind, and used no references. I nestled up with a pencil and my sketchbook in a cozy spot, and let lines and shapes unfold—a great exercise in allowing the subconscious to unwind.

Shellf Reflection is so many beautiful facets of life all wrapped up into one: Self reflection, being bold, and taking things slow. I started this piece while attending my friend's virtual art medicine festival. There were several other artists presenting and leading workshops on their approach to the creative process, often making art (doing a demo) as they talked. It felt great to be "in the studio" as it were, with other artists jamming on ideas, and I busted out my sketchbook as I listened.

At the time I made this drawing, I was feeling overwhelmed by what many call “the grand horizon”—that place of big ideas and dreams. I know my big dreams intimately, but I hadn’t sat down to put some structure to them for the new year yet, to make the actual plans to manifest my desires. This is a classic trap we can all fall into sometimes—getting lost in the big picture—but there is a way to get through the overwhelmth, and gracefully move into greater clarity and grounding.

First of all, HAPPY SOLSTICE! Normally at this time, my husband and I (and our Star Hutch community) throw an amazing Yulestice (think yule + solstice) gathering. We host a potluck and serve magic home made eggnog, spark a silly dancing white elephant gifting game, hold potent midnight ritual, and play music and connect with our beautiful beloved special people until dawn. We celebrate the longest night like no other night of the year.

But, as like everyone else, this year is a little... different...

Indigo


The one heart elixir is for despair and for glory,
Tears fall like diamonds in this never-ending story,
The return of the light, 
And the name that is remembered,
Will restore us all to oneness in the long cold December...

“I Got This.” ⁠
The caterpillar says to herself.⁠
“I got this.”⁠
She tells herself again.⁠
“I got this,” she says...⁠

Sometimes we just need that thing that we can see, touch, and interact with to bring us deeper into our own mysticism.

For all of us, art can often be that thing.

...But how do we do that exactly?

How can we be courageous enough to share exactly how we feel in the face of conflict? That’s what’s been on my mind lately. There are so many tiny to giant injustices in the world, and silence is a slow form of torture in the face of it, whether it be among friends, family, community, a nation...

White Columbines are such exquisitely gorgeous little flowers and they grow wild in high altitudes. I came across hundreds of orange ones on our trip to Yosemite this summer, and I just couldn't get them out of my mind. Once I learned their symbolism, it became clear as day as to why they would become a significant part of my most recent painting, "The Gift". 💎

There is no other place,
Nothing but Her kind embrace...

I am still overflowing with joy after the special release event we had in honor of this painting last week... to unveil it... to commune with it in a ceremonial way... to introduce its potent medicine to the community in a manner that felt really authentic and vulnerable and powerful. All good ingredients behind a worthy share.

Paint peeling,
Old feelings.
Past due,
Something new.

Today, this is my birthday wish:

May all beings be happy and free.
May our Mother Earth be healed.
May all war come to an end.
May we all feel a deep sense of place.
May we all know our true gifts and share them everywhere we can, in service to love, always.
 

Forget your serious work.
Play awhile.
Let your smile free.
Roll around in tickles.
Eat raspberries off your fingers.
Snuggle and nuzzle noses.
Spin round and round.
Erupt with laughter.
Say I love you more often than ever.
 

Following your dreams is tough. Being an artist is tough. Being an entrepreneur can feel down right crazy! There’s no way around it. Don’t be fooled. The life of an entrepreneur, a creative, is no easy life. Heck, just being human is tough enough [...]

Last week, I showcased my artwork at the legendary Fillmore in San Francisco for a pivotal fundraiser concert with Jason Mraz.

The event was put on by Harmonic Humanity, a non-profit organization heaven bent on providing education, job opportunities, and counseling to the homeless. Their main goal? To put an end to homelessness. Yep. Big dreams. Big plans. Big action. This was their 10th anniversary benefit, and of course they threw an awesome concert. Why? Because music is foundational to everything they do.

Be strong. Revel in your innocence.

Be a beacon of kindness.

Hold your your soft and gentle heart with tenderness, and share it with the world.

How are you changing, growing... shedding old skins? The caterpillar goes into the unknown... and then changes form completely! These cute little fuzzy wormy things morph into what biologists call the “imaginal gel”...

Do you have beautiful art on your walls?

I hope your home space and work space are filled with beautiful inspiring imagery that makes you feel...

Get out of your own way.

Do away with the notion that you are not 
Good enough
Gorgeous 
Strong
Worthy
Patient
Kind
Intelligent
Courageous
A fucking BADASS.
 

Let it flow.

Let your love flow.
Let your tears show.
Let the smiles and years and the sheer joy flow.
Let it out,
Let your sensuous nature unwind and shine gloriously without shame or disdain.

Breathe.................
 

Many people love the Flower of Life.

Many people like it, but have no idea what it is.

They've maybe seen it, but don't know what it represents, or they've heard of it, but don't know what it looks like. This exquisite pattern has gained popularity in recent times--it's on clothing, in art, furniture, you name it. 

And yet, most people don't know what this pattern means.

I LOVE the Flower of Life and I also love to educate people about this amazing fundamental geometry whenever I can. It is held very sacred the world over and has actually been revered for millenia.

Here’s to all of us finding our fullness of expression, to discovering our passion, our worth, and fully animating our soul’s infinite beauty, love, and wisdom. 💖 Let us not be afraid to live a life of art. Don’t just make it. Live it with everything you do and let that kind of presence trickle down into every relationship you have. 

Today, I share with you the legend that inspired my painting, "Once I Meta Swan" (pictured above).

The story I'm about to share with you is based on a true tale, lived by the man who commissioned this visionary painting. The incredible experiences he had all took place in a series of lucid dreams, which are nothing short of waking reality in my opinion. I highly recommend you find a comfy spot to sit for just a few short minutes and read what I've written like you would a novel. Read it slowly, savor the words and sentiment, and let it take you on a journey into the myth behind the art.

Have you done any sort of New Year's ritual yet?  

In today's blog, I will share what I did on NYE, and I hope it inspires you to do it, too, if you haven't done something along these lines already. 

I grew up drawing. It's one of the very few activities I've been doing since as long as I can remember.

My dad is an amazing artist, with an incredible gift for both realism and surrealism, and he would often do little drawings for me. As a child, I asked him to draw all sorts of silly things from his imagination, which he happily obliged.

I use the ritual of painting to explore and honor the common threads between many ancient cultures, spiritual traditions, and mythologies; and then I tenderly hold all these up to the light of today as I attempt to unpack their wisdom in a fresh yet timeless way. I am always looking, always searching for the underlying similarities, the parallels, the middle ground of any narrative, old and new, to see what holds us all together.

Making art for a living. Living life as art. I’ve definitely found my Ikigai.

But sometimes I wonder what life might be like if I became a math teacher (or some other fill-in-the-blank-non-art-job) and only did art for fun, without a single thought or motivation to sell it, ever. What then? What would I create?

So, although the final title is I Got This, its working nickname has been Butterflowlapple, which has me laughing at ridiculous cuteness. This little creature is part butterfly, part owl, part pineapple.

This painting is the start of a bunch more smaller ones I will be doing to increase productivity and promote more PLAY. With all these other big (and sometimes overwhelming) creative projects at hand, sometimes all I wanna do is a beautiful little thing, to have a bit of a breather--hence, the start of the Minishka Collection back in May! The pieces in that collection can all be purchased as originals or prints that are no more than 12" in size. The Butterflowlapple will be available as a Minishka print later, but with some variations in design and sizing.

Is it time?

Is it time to let go of the old stories

and finally create some new ones?

Ones in which you are fulfilled beyond measure?

Ones where you dream the impossible dream,

and then dare to make it come true?

Is it time to shake off the old and invite the new?

Is it time?

I mean really, is it time?

Painting is a meditation.
⠀
Painting one thing again and again simplifies reality... slows time down... makes your skin crawl sometimes. How many times can you sit with just one thing in your mind... to focus that long... to slow down enough to do it? ⠀

Mother's Day is Just Around the Corner...

Let's Shower Her with Love!

Dear Friends,

Mother's Day is coming soon, and that got me thinking about how to offer memorable gifts for Mom. There's no one like your mom. And she deserves a special gift for Mother's Day. You gave her a greeting card. You've given her flowers. You've even taken her out for a nice brunch.

Why not take it up a notch this year, and make her special day unforgettable with the gift of beautiful magical art?

It's finally here...

"Once I Meta Swan"

Once I met a swan, 
a beautiful beautiful swan, 
flying far across the sky,
beyond the mountain high,
far beyond the moonlight song,
much farther than beyond 
the world I knew
of grayish hue,
a tepid view
of life.

I'm so very pleased and delighted to be home after two months on the road this summer with all of my art and music creations. This was the first time since my daughter was born that I've gone on the road for this long, and whoosh!--it's been one heck of a ride! You all know me for my visual art, of course, but many of you might not know about my other creative love: MUSIC! Music making has been a deep passion of mine throughout my whole life, and I am over the moon excited to be sharing it with even greater frequency as the years roll on.