A Lengthy Overdue February Art Update

Honestly? I’m okay. Truly. I know, I haven’t missed a newsletter in years, much less multiple in a row, but it’s ok.

Well…aside from a humbling flu that has given me a super attractive zombie voice and appearance. Sleep deprivation is no joke. Oh, and the news being ABSOLUTELY HORRIFYING AND HORRENDOUS AND IT FEELS LIKE WE REALLY ARE IN THE BAD PLACE. I’m totally okay.

I’m also hyper aware that my sanity sits crooked on a foundation pieced together like one of those experimental popsicle stick bridges that might buckle under the pressure of an apple.

Sooo enter self-protection mode. Letting myself completely stop painting if I don’t feel like it and choosing where to put my precious free time however I want - productive or not. Likely thrift store shopping. Giving myself an actual break. No hustling to catch the sunrise, or obsessively looking around for the next painting, but focusing on taking in more art in the form of literature, music, and the visual gems seen the web.

And can’t we all agree, less is more? Stepping back and speaking when there’s something we truly want to say vs just waving around trying desperately to get and keep attention spans? It’s exhausting for everyone.

Going forward, I’m going to experiment with writing just whenever the mood strikes vs the strict 2x a month schedule. I will try to be somewhat regular, and as always, conscious of your inbox space. But thanks for being along for the ride, even when things go completely off the rails. You’re welcome to watch to see how far off the tracks it goes.

NEW HOBBIES ALERT - READING

I never would have guessed that I would get into reading. Something that forces me to sit still and give all my attention to. Growing up, my brother and I were obsessed with books thanks to Pizza Hut’s Book-it program, but without the lure of a personal pan pizza or greasy pin and gold stickers, I pathetically lost interest. Can we start this up again?

But you know me, “moderation” doesn’t really exist. My TBR (to be read) booklist is never-ending, my new favorite app is Pagebound (FRIEND ME PLEASE), and I’ve finished an embarrassing number of books in the past couple of months. Genuinely probably more than the sum of books in the past decade. What is wrong with me.

Here are five favorites. Please read them and let’s talk!

Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar - LOVED this book. So poetic and beautifully written.

Heart the Lover by Lily King - Sobbed hard with this one.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness - YA book that is powerful, emotional and paired with equally strong illustrations.

James by Percival Everett - Cleverly written, surprisingly funny, and important perspective. Wish everyone would have to read it.

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller - Mythology lovers will appreciate this love story. Another heart breaker though. The last line of the book has me spiraling.

Seasoned readers out there probably have sniffed out that I am in a bit of a masochistic mood right now. These are all pretty emotional. You’ve been warned.

BOOKMARKS

Half of the books I read are paper, so it makes perfect sense that I would fall down the rabbit hole of creative bookmark making. Right?

Apparently that rabbit hole is DEEP and I’ve made over 10 linocut designs that are increasingly strange yet useful. I decided that they deserve a whole post on their own to appreciate their evolution, but here’s a peek of one of the latest. Letting my inner child out to just make whatever I want from imagination has been healing. Definitely recommend finding an outlet like this for yourself. PS. I will probably make some to sell, but it’s time consuming getting good prints and then hand cutting them lol. So that might be a while.

NEW WORK

But back to the paintings, which is why you’re probably here. Despite not painting much for weeks, there’s still a lot of new work to share with you since the winter break was full of free time. Too many paintings, in fact. I’ll share my favorites with you here, but there’s a few more you haven’t seen which you can see on my website. All are actually for sale, so if you are interested in one let me know and I’ll put it on the shop.

Little Fall at Markham - 16x20 - painted 12/22/25 with my friend Kristian Matthews at my side. One full of good memories. It was meditative focusing on the foamy swirls.

Trash Day - 9”x12” - Painted Christmas 2025 again with Kristian. I let him pick the place, and we must have both been in the same mood because we both focused in on the trash cans lol.

Clouds Dance around Mt. Diablo - 16”x20” - Painted 12/27/25, I just loved the giant dramatic clouds from a recent rain. They danced around and never stayed still for me, so I tried my best to capture their rhythm.

Benicia Palms - 16”x12” - Painted 12/29/25, I was feeling antsy and needing to get out so we went to Benicia for the morning. I have always been drawn to these palms and Mt Diablo in the background.

Rainy Day on the Field - 16”x20” - 01/02/2026 Painted at a park in Concord on a rainy day. I remember listening to Project Hail Mary for this one. Tried keeping things loose and appreciating the drips and expressive brushstrokes.

Lemon Slices on Cutting Board - 6”x12” - $350 - 01/12/2026, okay so YOU can’t see the cutting board, but we all know it’s there. I did this one on a whim before work one morning and I think it’s one of my all time favorites? How could that be?

Foggy Pine - 16”x12” - Painted 01/17/2026. The air was wet and cold, and I was frozen to the bone once this was finished. It’s a quiet park, with only the true morning warriors braving the chill and fog.

Morning Meditation 114 - 6”x8” - $250 - 01/05/2026. An unusually simple composition since the light show was fast changing, but one that has grown on me a lot. The sunrise was spectacular that morning.

Morning Birds on Pink Sunset - 12”x24” - Painted 01/07/2026 before work. I’ll keep returning to these morning birds for as long as I can. They bring me so much peace watching them fly to and from the wires. The pink sunrise made this composition especially attractive.

76 Station - 12”x9” - Painted 01/19/2026 on a busy street corner in Concord. On our way to the gym we always see this little gas station, and I finally decided to just get it done.

Meyer Lemon Halves - 5”x7” - $170 - Painted 1/03/26. These Meyer lemons are always a favorite to paint! They are often confused for oranges because of their rich dark yellow color.

Single Small Lemon - 3”x5” - $75 - Painted 1/04/26. Just a lil’ baby lemon on a little baby canvas.

Lemon and Salt - 4”x6” - $125 - Painted 1/09/26. I have a thing for salt shakers, and will buy them and put salt in them just for future paintings. Salt and a little lemon.

That’s all, my friends. I’m going to go chug some cough syrup and contradict everything I said here. GOOD DAY!