Little adventures (plus, a new painting begins!)

“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places” Roald Dahl 

Watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you. 

I love this line.

I also love that seeing the world through the lens of a new experience is pretty accessible, even if you can’t travel to another country or make a major life change.

I’ve been stretched outside of my daily routine a few times recently (and it feels good!).

First, I took a trip to New York this past weekend to see some of my oldest friends (we met in elementary school). Right now we live in 3 different states, so having even a few hours together is a great reminder that the people we walk through life with are to be cherished always. Thanks for the renewed perspective, friends!

We visited the World Trade Center site, and here are a few views from One World Observatory. We were about 1,250 feet up!

And here’s the previous footprint of one of the two towers, which they turned into a memorial fountain. We all agreed that it’s a really peaceful and beautiful tribute.

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I also spoke yesterday to a group of fifth and sixth graders at my elementary school about how I became an artist, what motivates me, what my life looks like as a working artist, etc.

My former art teacher invited me (and a handful of other working creatives) in an effort to help the kids see a range of possibilities for their own futures. Beyond my experience as a painter, the group heard about fashion design, cartooning, illustration, candle making, and ceramics.

How cool is that?

I’ve never spoken to a class of young students before, and they were such a wonderful audience. They asked lots of thoughtful questions and showed genuine excitement. I felt so strongly reminded about what it’s like to be 11 or 12 and curious about everything.

One of the things I told them is that it’s amazing how much we can shift and grow inside the span of just a few short years, given some hard work and good tools. I also told them that it’s totally okay (and great!) to have different interests at different points in our lives, and that all of our experiences build on the last.

Here’s one view of my elementary school while I was enjoying a few minutes in the sun and waiting for the presentations to start. I’m forever grateful to have grown up amidst the trees and animals and big open sky, and the influence can be found all through my paintings (hello trees, woodland animals, warm suns, etc).

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I’ve also been working hard on my new animal series (yay!).

I last shared with you my in-progress bear painting, which looked like this:

And then this:

And since I last posted, I finished the painting! I experimented with some silver clouds and stars, added in the birds, and gave the background a turquoise wash that makes me feel like I could float away:

I really love that the birds are singing, which makes this whole painting feel like a lullaby. The original painting has sold, but prints will be available soon!

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I’ve also started my next painting, featuring a fancy little fox. I’m on a roll, friends! Here was the preliminary sketch:

Next I transferred the sketch (with some tweaks and an extra little sleepy fox) onto a thick paper and began putting down an initial background layer of paint and ink:

Here’s further progress on the background:

My goal is to have the painting finished in time for the next blog entry. To see in-progress shots in the meantime, check out my Instagram or Facebook pages.

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It’s so useful (and fun!) to break out of our routines every once in a while to have a new experience. I feel grateful to have had two in one week!

What’s one new thing you can try this week? It could be as simple as experimenting with a new recipe or taking a midday walk to break up the work day. Play! Explore. Have a little adventure.

Because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. 

And isn’t that part of the fun?

With love,