When my family packed the car full of salmon, overly excited kids and a dog with a brain locked in on Easter rabbits - I decided to stay home. It wasn’t an easy decision to make, family time like this is incredibly precious but what I needed more than anything was silence, rest, and time to mend. And as I was laying there on the sofa, balancing the cat and a bowl of Cheese Doodles on my belly, I found myself reflecting on the purpose of my work. Why I’ve always felt such intense longing for painting. And then I thought of this:

What if my body craves painting as it’s the only thing that forces me into stillness? Like a refuge from a constantly overstimulated brain. My foot has been firmly rested on the gas pedal ever since I was old enough to grasp that I’m in charge of the amount of experiences I get to have in a life time. I’ve said LET’S GO to every possibility or adventure crossing my path in a desperate attempt to chase imaginary gold stars. These days, when opportunity knocks on the door, my body says HELL NO and pushes my right back down on the sofa. I wish that I would’ve listened to that deep longing for rest sooner, letting my brushes lead the way instead.

So what if in turn - the purpose of my art is to reflect that sense of peace and calm onto someone else that might really need it? Such a divine move by the universe if that’s the case. I’ve forgotten to thank all of you who responded when I asked for reviews back in December, it really - truly makes a difference. I’ve always felt really privileged to get to make pretty things for a living, but I know now that my work sometimes resonates on a deeper level than that. I realize an AI will likely take my job eventually but until then it sure is an honor to have had that human exchange.

Well, this got deep and a bit woo real quick but that’s what happens when chocolate coma sets in.