A Letter From the Heart

Coast to Coast 
(Alaska to Kenya)
Please tell me you sang that in Sade's voice !

I wrote this at a beach cafe in Watamu, Kenya- Watamu translates to "Land of the Sweet People" and my experience here has been filled with kind humans, warm sun, and a continuous ocean breeze. I am at the tail end of four months on the road and will be back in Austin very soon. It's been an amazing summer, but I feel my studio calling me home.

This newsletter contains some reflections on my time away- I always worry about leaving my work but the travel has brought clarity and renewal in a way I could not have imagined. I often need the reminder to slow down and not be in a rush. So if you've got time for a bit of a read, I'd like to share a little bit of my journey with you all :) 

​Land of the Midnight Sun

This photo was taken by my partner Will on the summer solstice at 2am! We went almost a whole summer without seeing a sunset (it feels a lot stranger than you think) but we loved every minute of it. We worked as guides for 8 weeks together and it felt like everyday the landscape changed. We found ourselves saying wow, look at that! every two seconds. It's a land of jaw dropping beauty and it is really hard to not be grateful to be existing in its presence every day.

The work kept us busy but getting to guide with Will gave the season a refreshing new twist. Traveling to a place as a guide is much different than traveling for fun- it's like taking a crash course on the entire geological and human history of the region plus learning about the flora and fauna all while figuring out the tour logistics. ~It's a lot~ but the hard work you put in up front gifts you so much in return. You leave with a deep appreciation for why things are the way the are and an in depth glance at the struggles that area may face.  Most importantly, you learn that you can create a home wherever you go because simply, you are there.

I feel grateful to have gotten a small glimpse of Alaska over a few amazing months. 

My First Artist Retreat

I got to participate in my first 'artist retreat' for most of September! I have wanted to visit Kenya since I was a little girl, so when I won a voucher for a trip with Noma Collective, I knew this was the destination to pick. It's funny how some places call to you. The retreat was self guided, and while it wasn't as 'productive' as I may have thought, the impact this country has had on me personally is hard to quantify.

The past few years I have found myself struggling to create more than I used to. I became an artist because I wanted to make art that was impactful. Turning that passion into a business while staying true to that goal has been a challenge to say the least and is something that I am still working to find balance. 

I am truly grateful that this retreat has reminded me to turn back inward to my still small voice. There’s a lot I want to say and I think I became afraid of saying anything. I've been carrying so much sadness for the world and I think a piece of me thought that if I let any of it out I may not be able to put it together again. 

Finding hope and putting in the work in the midst of so much grief is the only way forward. I’m hoping this new series can do a better job at saying something than I have recently. I know now more than ever that the sadness we carry and the joy we experience can coexist - and I feel ready to put myself back out there again very soon. 

New Series, Parting Reflections

I was simultaneously working on a large scale series while taking breaks to work on smaller landscapes before I left. The two works in progress above show a glimpse into my studio - the piece on the left is part of the series I'm working on while the one on the right is a standalone. I very rarely show larger works in progress but I have set some new intentions for this community space and one is to be a bit more vulnerable. I'm not quite ready to dive into the meaning of the new work yet, but creatively it feels a bit like letting the sun shine on my face again. 

​Just looking at this photo makes me so excited to return to my safe space and finally finish these paintings! This third series has been a labor of love but I've been reminded recently that we don't have to go on the journey alone. I see the work so many of you are doing and it's freakin' inspiring. 

So thank you for reminding me the work is worth it, keep shining.