Two prominent things stand out to me when I think about practicing art and creating a body of work—building my skills to achieve my vision and understanding and communicating the concepts, subjects, themes, and ideas or topics in the artwork. Both require supporting myself through feelings like confusion, overwhelm, and loss to find direction in my artwork. These feelings can be paralyzing and immobilizing. And they can be overcome with a few practices that provide clarity on what comes next.

Last summer, I began laying out the questions I’ve used to craft an inspiring and spacious creative practice. I’ve shed light on the notion of working in creative seasons and I’ve shared ways it has helped me radically expand my practice and my business.

From a young age, I learned very quickly that there were so many ways to look at creativity. And so many of those ways came down to individualism. That is the way you perceive the world and the way you process the world. Yet, the subject of creativity is so vast. And it can be just as expansive to identify a way of working - a creative practice - that doesn’t hinder your originality but instead elevates it.

I set up a makeshift printmaking studio at the start of this year. It was enough to get by. A place for me to find familiarity in a once-fluent process. A moment to begin. I remarkably found this space to share some of the most impactful moments of my career thus far.

Your home is a vessel for all the warmer ways to live. It’s a place to find a presence, plan an adventure, and gather with close ones. From your home, you can build comfort and nostalgia, and the way you choose to invest in your home is a reflection of your personal style. Picking artwork for your home can be a piece of your story. This guide is everything you need to know to find and choose art for your home.

During the long and dark winter months, I shared that I finally experiment with something I’ve had on my mind for a long time - monoprints. You can read more about my story here. After spending my quiet, in-between hours bunkered in my newly established and very humble printmaking studio, I am building a collection of monoprints.

Last summer, I began laying out the questions I’ve used to craft an inspiring and spacious creative practice. I’ve shed light on the notion of working in creative seasons and I’ve shared ways it has helped me radically expand my practice and my business.

I never really understood how creative mantras could be incorporated into my daily art practice until I learned how lonely practicing art can feel some days. Yes, I am a part of a creative community that I converse with daily and I have a creative mentor that helps me align with myself quarterly. Yet, for the most part, I work alone in my studio which results in plenty of personal conversations on a daily basis.

In a few swift movements, my hand started capturing desert grasses. The motion felt natural. I felt a flow as I simultaneously captured what most see as a barren landscape. 

In recent weeks, many of you have asked if I have any books I would recommend reading. I love reading and find a lot of joy in getting lost in stories. Ever since I was young, literature has always had a way of captivating me.

Inspiration isn’t something I often go searching for. When I slowly adapted my creative processes to reflect my inner landscapes and seasons, I learned inspiration would become a natural part of my creative practice. I would make space to welcome it upon its natural arrival.

The Artist’s winter season is a time for deep nurturing. It’s a parameter of time, completely determined by you, to turn inward and nourish your creative foundation. Leaning into a creative season offers you to align with your current circumstances, intentions, feelings, and needs.

Your creative practice is the most important piece of your creativity. Setting up an art studio provides a place to arouse inspiration and enter your artistic workflow.

Each year, I open my studio to budding artists looking for guidance and growth in their creative practice. This Artist Mentorship program grew out of my passion for sharing creativity with others, and this coming year it is structured to be extra special.

Fall is a popular time of year. Many people enjoy the cool weather, quiet, cozy evenings, and ongoing hosting. I'm not overtly into Fall decor like pumpkins and gourds, but I am finding exciting ways to create a warm space for guests in my new home.

Trust comes from understanding any given situation and having confidence in the outcome. You can build a loose routine that helps you anticipate the future using creative seasons. It gives you the tools to know your creative season is focussed and your nurturing season is rejuvenating.

I really enjoy the element of texture. There is something really blissful, and very peaceful in the simplicity of something you see that elicits the response of feeling.

The creative process is personal and typically takes consistent bravery. It’s an exchange of giving and receiving, and when those two move out of balance it can leave an artist with burnout, fear, and questioning.

Growing into an artist is different today than it was just a handful of years ago. Artists no longer just assume the role of lead creative but also might take on copywriting, email design, website design, content creation, shipping, handling, customer inquiries. Over time, and even when you don’t realize it, it’s easy to lose touch with your creativity or forget that creativity has a natural ebb and flows.

Over the Summer months, I encourage myself to move deep into creativity. This often looks like piles of books, long hours outside, moments of reflection, days next to my sketchbook, and fleeting thoughts frantically typed into lyrical meditations. Allowing myself time to be still in this season is one of the greatest gifts I can offer myself. It provides me with an abundance of inspiration that springboards my research as I continue to nourish my creative foundation.