Blog
I have been writing about my artistic process for several years. It has given me a place to reflect on travels, books, life and generally unravel the stories behind my work.
"I love reading your email newsletters. I always enjoy them, finding them grounding as well as innovative." J.H.
"I love reading your email newsletters. I always enjoy them, finding them grounding as well as innovative." J.H.
Imagining a Bonus Round
September 3, 2026
Categories: Inspiration, Motivation
I often imagine life as a path that we are following. Sometimes the way is straightforward, other times it is uphill and strewn with obstacles. We may be able to see far ...
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Garden Tree
July 28, 2026
I’ve often thought nature was the best gardener. Mossy rocks and ferns near a bubbling stream or bleached driftwood surrounded by sea grass and beach pea, sometimes look like they’ve been artfully ...
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The Art of Reframing (What's in Your Mind)
July 2, 2026
Categories: Motivation, Nature
I have a habitual way of thinking or coping skill I discovered as a tree planter. When in extreme discomfort I would automatically think about something worse that could be happening.
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How Inspiration Appears
June 2, 2026
Categories: Uncategorized
How do we get inspiration, a good idea, or a “lightbulb moment” to appear? I think partially it comes from an inner readiness to respond to the world around you. If you ...
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A Creative Mix - What Is It?
April 30, 2026
This past year I facilitated two afternoon art classes where participants could explore creativity without needing any drawing or painting skills. In “Creative Collage” and “A Creative Mix”, I wanted students to ...
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How to Trick Time (Before It Tricks You)
March 30, 2026
Categories: Inspiration, Nature
One summer, when I was about ten years old, there was a moment in time that I haven’t forgotten. It wasn’t an exciting moment, more of an everyday moment.
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Carpe Diem
February 27, 2026
Categories: Art Process, Nature
In this painting, called: “Carpe Diem” (“seize the day” in Latin), the walls of the house have magically disappeared. What is usually pictured indoors, or on a patio, is instead outside, surrounded ...
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Reflection
January 29, 2026
There is a maze of trails in the area I live that mountain bikers call The Vortex. Once you go in, you may not find your way out. In this place, just ...
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The Rewards of Commitment
January 2, 2026
Every September and January I teach, “Drawing: The Right Approach”, a class for total beginners (though all experience welcome). At the start I suggest that the four most important things for ...
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How to Paint a Piano with 20 Kids
December 1, 2025
This November I was asked to paint a piano (an actual piano, not a painting of a piano) with the students enrolled in the Fine Arts eCademy (Fae) at NIDES (North Island ...
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