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. 

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.

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. 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, I'm not sure its name is actually "Butterflowlapple" or not yet, but the current verbiage definitely has me laughing at ridiculous cuteness. It's 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.