I hadn’t decided to touch the paper towel, my hand simply did it.

Since that day, my hand often spontaneously releases excess water & paint — apparently, the brush is too full!

This kind of experience is one reason to develop a painting practice.

A few years ago, exhausted from living my dream of being an artist, a good friend reminded me why I’m on this journey.

I wondered if I’d made a mistake by moving so far from home to make my dream come true. Had I given up the wrong things — my home, a relationship, close friends, and family ties — all to live 5,000 miles away to be an artist?

Whenever we plan to start or try something new, stuff happens — often a natural result of adding one more thing to an already busy life.

Like a seedling pushing the dirt out of the way before it can break through to the sunlight, whenever you embark on a new thing — be it a painting, an exercise routine, a new recipe, a new class — a new way of doing anything in a new way, some part of you rebels.

We each weave a journey through life — picking up threads as we meet people, move about, and change directions. Enjoy the tapestry of your life, remembering that it will shift and change as you go.