I love seeing my hometown in the spotlight! Thanks to everyone who celebrated with me!

There is a great comfort in the knowledge that forces exist that are infinitely more powerful than we are. From the miraculous engineering of a bird's nest to the complexity of the wind and water, we are surrounded by intricacies we cannot fathom. There is divine purpose in every plant that grows and every living being. 

We've all been in a place where we are lost in our work. Whether you are painting, sculpting, playing music, researching, sharing a story, deep in prayer or meditation,  or working to solve a complex problem, you've been so engaged with your work that you lose track of time, you forget to eat or sleep or hold onto anxieties.

I have learned not to question the intuition, the subconscious drive, that dictates what will come into a painting. I've learned that it is best to just trust it, because the power of the creative process is in the ordering of the sometimes chaotic inner world. For that ordering to happen, we have to let go and listen.

When I think of Makers, I think of my grandmother. She was a powerful Maker. Most things she made were transitory. She grew her family's food and put it up, She made a fire everyday in the wood cook stove and made dinner. She made sure her family ate, even if it meant she was hungry. She made clothes and made them clean. She made medicine, and made us feel better when we hurt…

I went in search of a window to paint, and instead found this doorknob. It's the same house as I'll Fly Away, ​the house where I spent the happiest part of my childhood.  I guess this little house sparrow is perched and ready to fly away, too.
I'm having so much fun with silver leaf lately. The doorknob has a layer of sterling silver under the paint, and it peeks through in places.

We, who are created in the image of God, unique among all living things, are in turn given the ability to create. This painting is about finding that gift. When we put pencil to paper, we commune with the God who created us and who is the source of all things, including our own healing. 

If there's one lesson life has brought to my doorstep, it's that we have to make the most of every minute, because we will never have this day to live again. Some days are full of sunshine, but just as many have storms that we have to weather. 

You can’t help but have fun when you smush paint between layers of canvas and paper!