Happy New Year!
I always love the natural reset that comes with every new year. Something about flipping the calendar instantly makes me feel more energized, more intentional, and full of hope.
3 Things I’m loving lately
1. Crow Canyon splatterware mugs for camping. I am so excited to keep these in our Scamp camper and wake up to a beautiful view and sip coffee in these. I am extra for this but I’m all about elevating a camping experience— good sheets and comforter, pretty speckled enamelware, twinkle lights everywhere possible, and a cute sweat set. 💅🏻
2. Having a go-to comfy but chic airport fit. An outfit that is extra comfortable for long travel days but also not pajamas . I have black pull on pants (like these but mine are H&M) and got this quarter zip for Christmas from rag & bone. It’s so soft and always love to have one less decision while packing.
3. This $40 original old man portrait that I found at an antique store and almost passed up on because he had creepy red eyes. But I saw the potential and even though it felt so wrong to partially paint over an original, I had to fix it. I am obsessed with how it turned out. It has so much character to me and I love the colors.
Life Updates
- Aj and I got a new gym membership in November and I’ve never enjoyed working out more. I’m not normally a runner but I’ve been loving it lately. I put on my noise cancelling headphones and blast my music and reward myself with a sauna session after. There’s been something so therapeutic and healing about it for me. I ended up signing up for the Brooklyn Half Marathon in April and it’s been fun and fulfilling training for something new and different. I also successfully recruited a couple of friends to do it with me so we’re making a fun weekend out of it.
We had the best time last month celebrating Christmas with my family in Charleston for the first time this year. It’s truly the most magical city full of art and history. My sister lives in a beautiful white house with light blue shutters, a brass seashell knocker, and a gas lantern. It is perfect in every way. We went to lots of galleries for a First Friday art walk, ate lots of amazing food, laid in bed and watched reality tv, and took lots of pictures. We also got to see Erin & Jon in their element hosting a free laundry day at their laundromat & we were so proud :,)
- AJ and I have gotten so into NYT mini crossword puzzles. They’re relaxing to do in the evening sitting on the couch in front of the fire & drinking wine. Or when we’re waiting at the airport or bored in an uber. He knows all the sports clues and I know the language arts clues and so we literally need each other to do them. And I found out recently that my grandma used to love crosswords too so now I always think of her.
Studio Updates
- I love how the start of a new year helps me re-evaluate and reset my business goals. I am feeling so inspired and want to create 10390238 new ideas as always, but my goal overall this year is focus. I want to narrow in on what is most important to me and my business and let the other things fall naturally to the side. I want to paint more pieces just for me, beyond commissions, and be more selective with what I’m saying yes to. I want to use my precious studio hours more strategically and segment my work more clearly into three categories: abstracts, landscapes, and the third is new— experimenting with figure drawing and portraits. I have some other dreams that will take years and I’m chipping away at those as well.
I’ve been loving working in my home studio. I left my studio that I had in City Park in Denver over the summer and it’s been so convenient having a space in my house that I love and where my supplies can just stay out. It makes it so much easier to sit down and work when I’m not having to set up my station every time or drive to it. The amazing photographer Ryan Varga captured these new shots that I love in my studio. Everyone hire him! 
- Even though I’m wanting to be more focused, I also hope to experiment more in my sketchbook in 2026. Usually my sketchbooks just sit buried in a desk drawer, messy, paint smudgy, and incomplete. This year I want to treat my sketchbook as a piece of art in itself and let myself try to capture new subjects without the pressure of a large overwhelming blank canvas. I’m also loving getting back into oil paints and pastels after only painting with acrylics for the last few years.
Cheers to another year!