A Month of Practice, a Lifetime of Direction
What do you make when you no longer know what you want to make? This past month, I gave myself permission to explore—one flower, one feather, one small window of nature at a time. In the silence of practice, I began to hear what my art has been trying to tell me all along.
A Cloudy Decision: Lessons in the Sky
After wrestling with watercolor and weighing advice from others, I’ve finally chosen my path forward. In this post, I share how I arrived at that choice, what I’ve been learning about clouds (and myself), and why drawing leaves still makes me happy.
Dithering and Direction: Navigating Artistic Forks in the Road
After a so-so weekend at the lavender festival, I found myself once again deep in the weeds of artistic indecision. Should I stay the course with detailed pen and ink, or follow the lure of color and try something new? Read on to see what I did—and what I’m still thinking about.
Learning to See Differently: A New Chapter in My Artistic Journey
As I search Virginia for landscapes that stir the spirit and draw them in ink, I’m finding the real challenge isn’t just what to draw—it’s how to draw it. This post is about wrestling with perfectionism, learning to let go of fences (literally and metaphorically), and taking one more brave step toward artistic freedom.
A Journey Through Mountains, Memory, and Ink
A quick trip to Blacksburg for my granddaughter’s birthday became the start of a deeper artistic journey—one shaped by mountain vistas, historic grounds, and quiet reflections. From the iconic Burruss Hall at Virginia Tech to the solemn fields of Appomattox, I gathered not just reference photos, but a sense of place, healing, and purpose for a new landscape series rooted in Virginia’s soul.
“I Know That Place”: A New Quest for Meaningful Landscapes
Last week, I embarked on a new artistic quest—a search for landscapes that would not only inspire me but might also stir something meaningful in those who see my work. At first glance, it sounds simple enough: find something beautiful in nature, capture it, and translate it into pen and ink. But as with so many creative paths, this one quickly revealed itself to be more complex, more layered… and ultimately, more rewarding.
When the Path Shifts Beneath You
Sometimes things kind of just hit you—and everything changes.
Why I Didn’t Draw Last Week (And What I Learned About Myself)
This week I am just back from visiting one of my children. I took my tablet with me, and my intention was to draw digitally while I was away. It didn’t happen. I just wasn’t feeling it, and now I’m wondering why and feeling slightly guilty about it. I have a lot I want to do, and I had plenty of down-time. In fact, I spent time reading when I could have been drawing.
Letting the Symbols Speak: A Journey into Meaningful Ink
When I first began trying to create hand-drawn art, I was honestly overwhelmed. I didn’t have formal training or years of experience behind me—just a deep pull to make something with my own hands that felt meaningful. The blank page was intimidating. So rather than focusing solely on creating a “pretty” picture, I started designing images that carried symbolic meaning.
Sometimes There Are Struggles…
This week I am writing about another aspect of being an artist that I experience quite often. After last week’s flurry of art exhibit openings, I fell into a little down swing. This is a normal cycle for me, it occurs after I’ve had a weekend art or craft show as well. I’m so busy leading up to any kind of event, the week after it’s over feels like a let-down.
Libraries, Galleries, and Cafés, Oh My!
Last week I had a somewhat new experience. I was fortunate to have several of my new ink art pieces accepted into local art exhibitions, which was very exciting!
Spirituality and Creating Art
Writing about spirituality is proving to be one of the most challenging things I’ve attempted. Not because my beliefs are unclear or uncertain to me, but because putting them into words feels like trying to pour the ocean into a teacup.
Wondering Out Loud
When wondering out loud to one of my children about how to begin a blog, I was advised to just start. While I considered that smarty-pants suggestion, with my characteristic dead-eye mommy stare directed at the speaker, I realized it was actually pretty good advice.