Home is Where the Joy Is

This was one of those glorious, wonderful, calm and peaceful weekends we get so few of around here. We hadn't overwhelmed ourselves with "to-do" lists, we didn't have too many scheduled activities, we just enjoyed the natural flow of things and had a great time!

A trip to the farmer's market always has a way of starting the weekend out well, and so do things like sleeping in a bit, taking a family bike ride through the neighborhood, playing in the park, and eating fresh sweet cherries.

I thought that this new little encaustic painting really summed up my happy thoughts of home. Hopefully, I can remember this sweet respite of calm peace during this increasingly busy week to come. I think everything would go much smoother if we all carried a bit of "home" in our hearts, so that is my goal this week!

The Fruit of Fun

Right off the bat, I apologize for the silly little pun in the title. It's one of those mornings, where I went to bed too late (after a fun night of crafting with some new friends) and then slept poorly , got up earlier than I planned, and have been living off of dark chocolate for the past hour or so. Whoopee!

I wanted to share with you my very first foray into fruit paintings! Fun! The first one was the "ripe" little red piece in the corner that was a happy accident while playing around during last weekend's class. I liked making it so much, I decided it needed friends. Fruity friends. I am even working on a larger red one that could be these little ones' momma. Oh my, I really do need some more sleep....or time in the studio.

Either way, enjoy the "fruits" of my labor. You can also see more shots of them on my Etsy store!

Little Jewels From the Studio

I've been busy in the studio, carving out some time for art-making here and there - and I've been having a BLAST in the process. I hadn't made too many pieces in awhile, so this was a much needed burst of productivity! I just wanted to share a few of these little pieces. They will be slowly making there way out to my Etsy store soon. But first, sharing with you!


I don't know if these are just flowers, or bike wheels, or some portland-hybridized bike bloom, but they just scream summer fun!

An Encaustic Painting Class Photo Primer

I had a wonderful time teaching four fabulous and fun students the basics of Encaustic Painting yesterday afternoon. Here are a few snapshots of class, including two of the students' finished pieces, which I adore for their color and texture! I had a great time, as always, and am still on the "high" of watching creation, color, and inspiration!

The Power of Positive Thought

Home is where my heart is right now. And that's not just because I've been working away like crazy on house/garden projects or trying to clean. I've just been really happy this week, and well, I want to enjoy it. Roll around in it and just breathe a sigh of contentment. I don't feel like this a lot, so I need to really enjoy it while it's there!

I spent a glorious day in the art studio yesterday finishing up some pieces for my inaugural sale at the First Thursday Street Gallery in the Pearl! It's tomorrow night from 5-10pm, and I can't wait to spend a warm summer evening out in the Pearl District with tons of fellow artists selling art, looking at art, and just enjoying an evening in Portland. Come out if you can!


These two pieces are products of yesterday's art love-in. The top one just came out of the blue at the end of the session when I am just letting myself make anything that I feel like without any limits. How is it that those are often the pieces we are most drawn to? Funny.

Though, I fully admit I also really like this second piece which is on a thick piece of 2" thick wood. It's a nice chunky little piece that just screams summer sunny fun!