From Weeds to Wonders: Rediscovering Artistic Passion

I've always been a fan of pulling weeds. In the spring, when spirits are fresh and new, we excitedly plant many seeds and take on a routine of daily watering. Planting fresh flowers is such an innocent commitment. However, as the heat cranks up and the sun remains overhead for weeks, our zest for tending to towering sunflowers wanes.

This is much like the life of an artist. We just want to get our hands in the dirt—in the materials of art-making. But to do so, we must find ways to move inventory, so we bite at every worm that promises an audience and hopefully a collector of our work. We water our creative gardens by saying yes to markets, gallery hangings, commissions, tiny storefronts, etc. Bit by bit, we've strayed from the actual making of art and have somewhat become machines.

I've seen it time and time again—gimmicks and spiels artists dish out that appeal to the masses. Frankly, I've done it myself. We've all figured out a way to grab the precious attention of those that pass by, because in doing so, we have a fish on the line that we might just reel in for our next meal. We go home wiped out, soak in the tub filled with salts and suds to wash away the day, catch our breath for a few hours, and jump right back in the game.

And sometimes you just need a reset.

That's what I've been doing. I've wiped the garden clean of events, activities, and opportunities that utterly exhaust me, so I can have a bit more than an afternoon to process all I'm passing through and all that has passed through me. No more dog portraits, no more weekly markets, no more storefront. I even pulled the plug on the e-commerce for a while so I could take some time to sort out what I'd like to do with my time.

I'm happy to announce that I'm still in the studio producing artwork, and I've decided to display it right here on this website. I will post a select few items in each area of my larger inventory, hold them here for a limited time, and replace them with something else. This makes looking through my collection easier for you and more manageable for me to offer. If you see something on the site you like, grab it while you can, because it will be gone within a couple of weeks.

Let the flowers bloom as they may, and let weeds compost into the ground to make for fresh soil.