New Places = New Inspiration. Oh, and traveling with kids...

Last week our family of four took a 2400-mile round trip spring break vacay to San Diego! This was our first big trip since Everett was a baby, and we had some idea of how it might go but knew that it would be a gamble. How does one survive those long hours in the car with a 2 1/2 year old? (Aside from figuring out how to purchase six different Disney movies on Amazon Prime, our 6-year-old, by the way, was an angel!) We packed ALL the snacks, ALL the puzzles, ALL the activities, and of course, the iPads loaded with ALL the ABC's and Sesame Street games I could find. In spite of a couple incidents of Everett getting sick in the car (both times it was in Utah on those curvy mountain roads), Cecelia asking to ride every roller coaster we passed by, a few bouts of toddler tantrums, and St… Read more »

New Places = New Inspiration. Oh, and traveling with kids...

What Happens When You Get "Unstuck"

I thought I’d follow up my last post by sharing some of the positive results of having spent some time in the desert. Recently I listened to the “Three Day Effect” on Audible. I highly recommend. It’s a 6-episode documentary that talks about the benefits of spending at least three full days immersed in nature. I have already known this about myself, that I need regular escapes to the outdoors. But what’s really cool is that there is now tangible evidence proving that extended time outside—that magical number of 3 days or more—can offer so much more than vitamin D! It can open new pathways for creativity. It can help you get “unstuck.” Case in point: I started this 36x24” oil painting of my son Everett, at the beginning of August… so, about six months ago. I really hoped to get it done in t… Read more »

What Happens When You Get "Unstuck"

Hitting Reset: Desert Wanderings

Three years ago, I fell in love with the desert. I took a solo weekend trip to western Utah, and became utterly mesmerized by the abstract patterns in the rock formations and the rich colors of the desert landscape. I quickly realized that in order to feed my soul, I would need to seek out the crisp air, solitude, and adventure found only in the wilderness--on a regular basis. Why the desert? After all, I live in beautiful, sunny Colorado. In the summer and fall I get out frequently for day hikes or plein air excursions. But when winter rolls in, I have little enthusiasm for cold weather and snow (maybe it’s the childhood trauma of growing up in Wisconsin and being forced to shovel our looooong driveway in sub-zero temperatures!). The desert offers warmth during a season when I am most pr… Read more »

Hitting Reset: Desert Wanderings

The Man Who Loved Cats and Jazz Music

On November 29, 2020, a beautiful soul left this world. His name was Amos Roe, and he was my high school piano teacher. He was also my mentor and friend. It’s been almost 20 years now since my twin sister and I had our first piano lesson with Amos, but I remember it like it was yesterday. Amos lived near North Freedom, Wisconsin, in an old weather-beaten white house set deep in the woods. He had several barns and a windmill, and a small pond that he liked to ice skate on in the winter. Parked in front of the garage was a small blue car with a bumper sticker that said in all caps, “KILL YOUR TELEVISION.” The long gravel driveway plummeted down so steeply that I always wondered if our car would make it back out. Whenever we arrived for our lessons, a warm light would be on in the kitchen, and… Read more »

The Man Who Loved Cats and Jazz Music

Madonna and Child Painting on Copper

"Candle of JOY" - 12x12" - oil on Artefex copper panel Luke 2:19 “But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.” Hello again, world... it's been a while. I have lots to write about, but for now I want to share a special painting of mine that is currently being auctioned off to raise funds for the Illuminated Messiah Bible , an outreach project by Tim Gagnon at Gagnon Atelier . Tim has interviewed me for his Modern Masters podcast a couple of times ( here and here ), and he is doing some really amazing things with his art and his ministry. So when he asked me if I'd be willing to participate in a fundraiser, to help get this brand new Bible printed and into the hands of lots of people around the world, I said YES! The painting is one of four pieces created… Read more »

Madonna and Child Painting on Copper

Painting Peonies with Anna Rose Bain (Trailer)

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Painting Peonies with Anna Rose Bain (Trailer)

Quarantine and the Stages of Grief

After two months in quarantine, which I’ve experienced by going through pretty much all the stages of grief, you could say I’ve finally arrived at acceptance. Let's face it--the world is a very different place than it was just a couple months ago. We all experienced the initial  shock:  over the daily and nearly instantaneous shutdown of businesses, schools, and life as we know it. We went through denial:  over the seriousness of the virus or its affect on the healthcare system and the economy. Most of us felt some anger : over the loss of our usual routine, hangout spots, conveniences, etc. - and for many of us, especially small business owners, the loss of income or our jobs. I was frustrated to suddenly become a "homeschool mom," a role I never wanted. I also felt so much ange… Read more »

Quarantine and the Stages of Grief