Hello Reader, It's my birthday! 🎉 Birthdays always make me pause and reflect on how grateful I am for the people who have supported this incredible journey as an artist and teacher. Your encouragement, kind words, and enthusiasm for watercolor have meant more to me than you know. So instead of asking for gifts, I'd like to give one. As a thank you for being part of my email community, I'm offering my upcoming live Zoom workshop on Thursday, July 30 for just $50 (regularly $65). Values First:...
19 days ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, One of the greatest joys of summer is spending time at our cabin on a lake in Northeast Washington. Every morning and evening, the light changes, the mist drifts across the water, and familiar scenes become something entirely new. I've spent many quiet hours capturing those moments in watercolor, and today I'd love to share a few of them with you. As a subscriber, you're getting an exclusive first look at a selection of original lake paintings before I announce my Summer Studio...
25 days ago • 2 min read
Hello Reader, Summer is in full swing here in Northeast Washington, and to celebrate, I'm opening my Summer Studio Sale—but before I announce it publicly, I wanted to give you, my newsletter subscribers, the very first look. Since I'm spending the summer at the cabin, I've decided to offer a special selection of artwork and products that I have with me right now. This sale is available for 11 days only, from July 16–26. 🌲 Original Lake Paintings Mountain Mirror, 9x12" I've created a private...
27 days ago • 1 min read
Dear Reader, As America celebrates its 250th birthday, I've been reflecting on all the different places I've experienced Independence Day over the years. Between Gate and Glory, 12x16", available As a child growing up in Washington, D.C., the Fourth of July was magical. We would watch the fireworks over the National Mall, and a few years we were even fortunate enough to watch from the White House lawn. Later, while living in Boston, I remember sitting along the Charles River as fireworks...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Dear Reader, The Saddle Shop, poured watercolor 16x20" As we settle into July, I thought I'd share a look back at everything that came to life in the studio during June. After a busy spring of exhibitions and travel, I returned to the cabin where I've been spending nearly every day in the studio. Surrounded by the quiet of the lake, the changing skies, and long summer days, I've been able to immerse myself in painting again—and it has been exactly what my creative spirit needed. June's work...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Hello Reader, One of the things I love most about being an artist is that a painting often begins in a very specific place, but once it leaves the studio it takes on a life of its own. This week, two of my paintings are on view in Idaho, each telling a different story about the places and people. The Great Escape, poured watercolor on panel, 30 x40" The Great Escape is currently on exhibit as part of the Idaho Cowgirl Congress at the Sun Valley Museum of Art in Ketchum. The exhibition brings...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, Last week, I wrote about the faces we remember and how the features that make us unique are often the very things that deviate from the "ideal." This week, my portrait students and I are painting a young girl. At first glance, you might think a young face would be easier to paint. After all, there are no deep wrinkles, laugh lines, weathered skin, or years of life etched into the face. The skin is smooth. The transitions are soft. The features are delicate. But in many ways,...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, I've spent the last few days settling back into my cabin in Northeast Washington for the summer. After a busy year of travel, teaching, exhibitions, and deadlines, it feels good to once again be surrounded by the forests, mountains, and water that inspire so much of my work. Yesterday I was finally able to sit down and paint. As I watched the light move across the landscape outside my window, I was reminded of a question I hear often from artists: Why do some landscapes seem to...
2 months ago • 2 min read
Hello Reader, This week I begin a new portrait painting course, and as I've been preparing lessons, I've found myself thinking about faces and what makes them memorable. There are formulas for drawing and painting portraits. Artists learn proportions, measuring techniques, and guidelines that help us place the eyes, nose, mouth, and ears in roughly the right locations. These "maps" are incredibly helpful. They give us a place to start and help us understand the landscape of the face. But the...
2 months ago • 1 min read