Looking for my latest writing? I now publish weekly essays on Substack: Living the Way of the Happy Painter. Read or subscribe here → It was early evening when I stepped off the train and made my way toward the château in the beautiful Loire Valley of France. I had spent three nights in Paris, but this was different. The air felt softer here. Roses... Continue reading

Looking for my latest writing? I now publish weekly essays on Substack: Living the Way of the Happy Painter. Read or subscribe here → What grounds you when you’re not sure where to begin? That was the question I didn’t know I was asking when I returned from leading my retreat in France. I arrived home feeling grateful and inspired — but also full. What... Continue reading

Looking for my latest writing? I now publish weekly essays on Substack: Living the Way of the Happy Painter. Read or subscribe here → Last week, I felt stuck. I had a newsletter to write. Paintings to finish. Zoom meetings to attend. But instead of feeling inspired, I felt… off. Heavy, unmotivated. Not sad exactly, just… distant from myself. I sat at my desk, opened... Continue reading

Looking for my latest writing? I now publish weekly essays on Substack: Living the Way of the Happy Painter. Read or subscribe here → Hi Friends, I’m so excited for my Painting Retreat in Wisconsin at the beautiful Octagon Barn next weekend! There are just a few spots left ❤️ July 19 & 20. Get all the details here. I’ve been reviewing my past paintings to choose... Continue reading

Looking for my latest writing? I now publish weekly essays on Substack: Living the Way of the Happy Painter. Read or subscribe here → It’s been three weeks since I returned home from my art retreat in France. While I’m still catching up on sleep and filling pages in my sketchbook, there’s one moment I keep coming back to — a moment that wasn’t in... Continue reading

Looking for my latest writing? I now publish weekly essays on Substack: Living the Way of the Happy Painter. Read or subscribe here → Have you ever looked at something you’ve made—a painting, a story, a project—and wondered, Is this done? Finishing can feel elusive, like trying to catch mist in your hands. But what if it’s not about forcing an ending but about listening... Continue reading

I’m writing to you today from my studio, still soaking in the magic of my recent time in France. I spent three weeks traveling and leading my painting retreat—and it was truly life-changing. We painted surrounded by blooming roses, shared long meals under the trees, and created the kind of deep, soul-filling connections I’ll never forget. Now that I’m home—creatively recharged and full of gratitude—I’m... Continue reading

Have you ever felt caught in the ebb and flow of creativity—the excitement of a new idea followed by the weight of self-doubt, the urge to finish something only to feel pulled toward starting again? You are not alone. Creativity moves in cycles, inviting us to trust the winding path rather than resist it. Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about creative cycles—how we move... Continue reading

Sometimes, life unfolds in ways we never could have planned, arriving in moments that seem ordinary at first but, in hindsight, shift the entire course of our path. I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately—not just in life, but in my creative process as well. The way a painting takes shape in its own time, how each brushstroke leads to the next, how the... Continue reading