From Studio Notes on February 9, 2025
As I’ve been traveling more and more this past year, I have fallen in love with traveling light. I spent three weeks in Scandinavia with just a carry-on sized backpack and a small daypack, and while it did have some challenges, the rewards were so great. From being able to pack up quickly, to feeling secure and free to move around with everything I need on my back with my hands free. (To be fair, for this trip I was just on, I did use a slightly larger checked suitcase, as it wasn’t international, I had to pack nicer outfits, and I had to prepare for cold weather.)
However, traveling light creates a slight drawback in what art supplies I am able to bring. I can’t bring everything I could possibly use. I’ve managed to narrow my art supplies down to contain within single pencil case, a sketchbook, a journal, and if I want, a small travel palette. I can pare it down further when I need to, for just a day trip, or I can get all set up to do an intricate sketchbook painting in a hotel or such.
At the end of the day, all I really need to create art is paper and a pen. I love my cheap fountain pen and whatever sketchbook I am currently working in. Or, I will just bring my journal and do any sketches I want in there. I’m working at combining both my journal and my sketchbook, but we’ll see how that goes. I want to first finish my current journal and sketchbook. However, this will work towards saving even more space for future trips.
Now, when I am traveling, I collect as many mementos as possible. This can be anything from promotional flyers, airline luggage tags, boarding passes, train passes, product labels, receipts, maps, and more. If it is paper and free (or attached to something I bought), I keep it. And a huge part of my creative practice is cutting down and gluing in all of these scraps. Through this “trash”, I tell a story. I journal as I go, sketch as I go, and at the end I have a work of art that tells the story of my adventures.
So, in summary, I have my essentials. A few different pens, basic watercolor supplies, and my sketchbook. For journaling, I have travel scissors, a glue stick, washi tape, and my travel journal. All of this is quite compact, perfect for taking out and creating anywhere I can!
From Studio Notes on January 27, 2025
As I mentioned before, I moved! Not very far away, but this means I have a new studio space. My new studio is in a space that is only mine, unlike my last one, and I cannot wait to cultivate the environment best suited to my creative practice.
My dream studio has bright, consistent lighting. Unfortunately, as this space used to be a small garage, there are no windows. I do have a garage door that opens up, which will be wonderful in the warmer months. For now, I want to set up lighting that is perfect, consistent, and feels as close to daylight as possible. Lighting is my highest priority. I also have large storage cabinets for storing my art supplies. My everyday art supplies will be out on a cart, which I can move wherever I need. My “easel” is my wall, with so much space for multiple paintings at once. Along with my actual easel, ready for smaller canvas boards and such. I will also have a large worktable in the corner, with all my sketchbook and paper media laid out, ready to use. I want to practice more in sketchbooks, striving for a balance between large-scale and small-scale works. Above my work table, I will have a collage of art cards and prints from my favorite artists, set up to inspire and motivate me.
I think I also want a cozy corner, set up with a chair and reading lamp, so I can take breaks. In this corner I will have a stack of my favorite inspirational art books, as well as my studio journal. I will also have a mini-fridge, loaded with some clean snacks that don’t make a mess, sparkling water, maybe some juice. Next to a tea kettle and my favorite teas, of course.
So, creating this space this will be my journey for the next few weeks. I want to take my time, slow down, and make sure it is a space I love and feel inspired to create in. For now, I am enjoying the break from painting, but I know that when it is time to start again I will be so ready.
From Studo Notes on November 24, 2024
I absolutely love this time of the year. Honestly, I love whatever season I’m in or about to be in the most. I love colder weather, and Christmas will always be my favorite season. We haven’t gotten snow yet except for one night, but I am anxiously awaiting it.
The colors outside in late autumn are my favorite colors. The warm, rusty orange of fallen damp pine needles, the dark umber of wet pine trunks, the warm green of the pine needles on the trees. The bright yellow of the last leaves clinging on, the pale trunks of the bare aspens. Driving through the farmland where I live is so peaceful this time of year; usually low-hanging clouds, the hesitation of rain weighing on the air, moody colors reflecting in the wet puddles on the dark pavement.
I’ve also started getting into the Christmas spirit earlier this year, in order to start painting my ornaments! These are such a fun project. It’s so relaxing to know exactly what I am going to paint and how I’m going to paint it, these cozy little scenes captured on a small round of wood. It’s also such a new experience to paint multiple of the same scenes at the same time, and it’s a very relaxing experience.
I am fully embracing the changing of seasons this year, and I cannot be more content to do so.
From Studio Notes on October 21, 2024
I’ve been reading Slow Productivity by Cal Newport this last week, and I did not expect the impact it would have on how I view my work (and even my life). He outlines three major ideas in this book, and the one that’s hit me the hardest is his final one: obsess over quality.
There’s this pressure as an artist these days, heavily influenced by social media and “content creation”, that artists need to produce a lot of work, and post a lot about it. But this idea challenges that. It takes the focus off the results, and into the work and the process itself. Obsessing over quality means not only creating the best work you can, but cultivating what that means to you. Adapting your tastes, expanding your idea of what you want your work to be and why. When you focus on your work and your process, putting your effort into it, paying attention to the details, and slowing down and taking your time: that’s when you start to make your masterpieces. Not whipping out pieces that you think will get a lot of likes on Instagram.
I’m incorporating this idea not only in my creative work, but in the way I live my life, the things I surround myself with, and how I go about my days.
To read authentic, meaningful words. To eat real, delicious food out of handmade, beautiful dishes. To drink fresh, delicious coffee every morning out of my favorite mug. To listen to music that feeds the soul. To hang art on my walls that mean something to me, not just “looks good”. To love my animals with unconditional love, and give them the best lives I can. To travel to incredible places and be fully present when doing so. To fill my wardrobe with clothes I love wearing and will last a long time. To surround myself with people I love, and that I love myself when I’m around them.
Something about this idea just sings to my soul and makes me so excited about life. So yes, these days, I’m obsessing over quality. In my creative work, and in all other areas of my life.
I highly recommend reading Slow Productivity.
From Studio Notes on October 21, 2024
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I was in Southeast Alaska for the months of July and August! I was staying in our off-the-grid cabin on Colt Island, and it was incredible. I was not working on whale-watching boats this year, instead just spending time with my family, friends, and trying to fit in some sketchbook time.
It was such an amazing summer, and just the break I needed to jump back into my creativity.
A couple weeks after returning from Alaska, I set out on another adventure: all the way over to Croatia! This was such a trip of a lifetime. I spent a week traveling with 15 other artists and learning from one of my favorite artists and biggest inspirations: Jess Karp. It was honestly surreal, and thinking back on it I can’t believe it really happened. I made some true friendships with people from all over the world. Not to mention, returning to Europe again! I cannot wait to go back.
Our focus was on sketchbooks and plein air painting. I gathered so much inspiration and knowledge from this trip, and I feel like I’m still riding off the creativity high we were all on!
We were in such a beautiful country. I shared some photos and videos over on my Instagram profile if you want to go check that out!
A couple weeks after flying home from Croatia, I had my first ever art market!!! This just happened a couple days ago, and it was such an incredible experience. I got to meet and talk with so many amazing people and artists.
It was a strange and incredible thing to see people I didn’t know walk up, look at my art, and connect with it. And even buy it. I’ve never experienced that before in person, and it was the most magical experience.
I learned so much about what worked, and what didn’t. What I’m going to focus on, and what I can let go of in future markets. Because if one thing’s for certain, it’s that I’m going to do more of these!
