"Halcyon Song," my most recent work, 16 x 20 inches, made entirely out of paper. 

I never title my pieces until after they're complete, and even then it's more of a process of listening rather than deciding. Usually a word starts to rise in my mind, and with some extra coaxing becomes a full title. With this piece, the word "halcyon" started to echo in my thoughts. I knew that one of it's definitions is, "a period of time in the past that was idyllically happy and peaceful"- but when I looked up the full meaning, I was really surprised and delighted to learn it also refers to "a mythical bird said by ancient writers to breed in a nest floating at sea at the winter solstice, charming the wind and waves into calm." And so I titled it "Halcyon Song."

The lighting really has an effect on the feel of the piece and the angle and intensity of the shadows cast.

This piece took more out of me than any other piece I've ever created. Literal blood, sweat and tears were poured into it's creation- my fingers were nicked and cut on all sides, and the frustration of working in a new medium plus the pressure of creating a piece for such a prestigious show definitely made me cry on more than one occasion. I wrestled with heavy self-doubt as I would make and the unmake a particular part of the piece, sometimes redoing the same part three or four times before I got it right. I cut hundreds of paper feathers, throwing away most of them. Since this was only the second paper sculpture I've ever made, it was a huge process of trail and error, all with a swiftly approaching deadline culminating in being in a show with artists I've respected, admired, and swooned over for years.

The tiny arrows were my favorite part. 

Somehow in the end, it all came together. Somehow it always does. Art is such a teacher for me in reminding me to have faith in the process, to see beyond the immediate small failures and to keep working towards a larger goal. It shows me again and again that my biggest obstacle is my self-doubt and that the often meandering unfolding of reality is to be trusted. 

In progress shots...

Custom built plexiglass shadowbox frame.

As far as the meaning of the imagery of this piece- I'd love to hear your thoughts. I rarely specifically choose imagery to convey a pre-meditated meaning. It's usually after the piece is finished that I can begin to understand what it's about, sometimes in ways that totally surprise me. I'm still listening to this one, letting it tell me what it represents about me and about this world. In some ways, I think it's is a self-portrait of sorts, yet also a portrait of experience, showing the union of juxtaposing opposites and contradictions that reality so gracefully holds. The swan offers itself as a sacrifice, with it's softness and innocence, while the snake symbolizes ferocity, strength, forbidden experience, and danger, yet also transformation and rebirth. To me this piece simultaneously shows both vulnerability and strength, both woundedness and the ability to rise. It's about endings, but also about how beginnings are always spiraled and woven into every end. It's a fairytale or a myth, something known and familiar, yet standing on the edge of the shadows of a dream. It's an offering of my time and mind and life and blood, now made solid for you to see. 

Opening night.

To view the other amazing pieces of art that were part of Suggestivism: Resonance at Spoke Art in San Francisco, click here.

Laughing with artist and curator Nathan Spoor.

Leaning in close to see the details...

All photos of the opening night by Rob Williamson.

Rabbit Wisdom:

Wild, lithe electric energy. Ever alert and aware. Joyful in the alacrity of their bodies.

Even the most common, overlooked animals have much to teach us humans who have forgotten so much of our wildness. We need only be humble enough to observe and to learn. 

Celebrating Earth Day

What a wondrous, intricately beautiful planet we live on. How entrancing are her myriad life forms, how precious of a haven she provides. 

I find nothing more saddening than our disregard of her well-being and our destruction of our animal and plant brothers and sisters. I pray we wake up and learn to be kind and grateful for this Eden we've been given, to be gentle with our impact and conscious of the importance and sanctity of every living being. Without them, we are nothing. 

Thank you Earth, for everything. 

Happy Year of the Fire Monkey! I was so honored to do this piece for Shambhala Publications, whose books were my first introduction to Buddhism fifteen years ago.

"May this Lunar New Year of the Fire Monkey burn all our confusions, barriers and separations within us, between us, and the rest of existence. May the fire of wakefulness kindle our deepest aspirations and our deepest prayers. May we rejoice and marvel at the magic of this illusive reality. May we see this world rightly, as it is, without our concepts, limitations, elaborations and fears." 

-Penpa Dolma

Also, a deep bow to artist Robert Beer, whose decades of work has made traditional Tibetan iconography available for illustrators like me to be inspired by.

Peace on Earth and goodwill towards all creatures- not just those who walk on two legs, but those who run on four, who fly through the air, who swim in the sea, and who reach roots into the earth and leaves towards the sun. All life deserves respect and all beings deserve love. 

Happy Holidays!

"The lovely thing about the unsayable is that it is unsaid. As soon as it is said, it is sayable and loses all its mystery and ambiguity. Art exists so that the unsayable can be said without having to actually say it. We cloud it in secrecy and obsfucation. The mid is free to roam and all things can be imagined, under the cover of darkness. How nice that is. How tired we are of having things explained to us. Of having things said."

-Nick Cave

"The mission of the artist in an over-technologized society is to call the old magic back to life." 

-Tom Robbins

Good morning world! Here is a new 7x8 ink drawing titled, "Sancta Simplicitas," Latin for sacred simplicity. 

"What I want to say is

that the past is the past,

and the present is what your life is,

and you are capable

of choosing what that will be,

darling citizen.

So come to the pond,

or the river of your imagination,

or the harbor of your longing,

and put your lips to the world.

And live

your life."

― Mary Oliver, Red Bird

Happy belated Valentine's Day everyone! Here's a little cut paper illustration to celebrate the day. Xo.

Oftentimes when I tell people I'm an illustrator, they're a bit confused about exactly what that means. Am I a graphic designer? A fine artist? What is the difference anyway? 

The answer is that illustration is an art form defined not by its medium, but by its context. Illustration combines the masterful creation of art with a practical application, and you can find examples of it all over the public sphere of popular media. Illustrators make images for advertisements, editorials, consumer products, children's books, clothing, movies, video games, comic books, and much more. Illustrators use their ability to visually problem solve and create striking images to manifest their client's ideas and needs.  

A recent job I just finished offers a perfect example of what an illustrator does. I was approached by the lovely and talented Renee LaLonde of Denver's Bakin' Bakery to bring to life an image she had in her mind. She wanted a woman with a rustic homesteading feel to her, wearing an apron and holding a basket full of peaches. Oh, and she wanted the woman to have a pigs head!

Delectable creations by Bakin' Bakery. 

Concord Grape Rosemary Donut... Yum!

Bakin' Bakery does weddings too! 

This offers a perfect example of what an illustrator does because I would have never come up with the idea to draw this image on my own. It was entirely her vision and quite different than anything I'd attempted to draw in the past. With her approval, I added in a wreath of flowers and foliage, comprised of ingredients she often uses in her baking- lavender, sage, prickly pear cactus, and dandelions. It actually proved to be quite a challenging assignment, but in the end I came up with an image that Renee was extremely happy with, which in turn made me extremely happy. 

The pen and ink part, in progress.

It's really rewarding when a client loves the work you've done for them. For me, there's something really meaningful about offering this skill I have for visual problem solving to help bring other people's visions to life. I feel really blessed that I have such wonderful clients like Renee who come to me to create the images for their business. If you're in the Denver area, definitely check out her food truck- she's a delightful lady and her food is not to be missed!

The finished image! 

I'm excited to share my first entirely digital illustration, which just happens to be for a beer label. Beer is in my blood- my father co-founded Boulder Beer, the first microbrewery in Colorado back in the 70s.

My dad (center with his hand on the motorcycle) and his unruly friends, around the time of the founding of Boulder Beer.

I have vivid memories of being a small girl and touring the brewery, walking beneath the towering shiny metal cylinders and inhaling all the mysterious earthy and rich smells. I hope a sense of that magic and wonder was communicated in this image. 

In honor of the holidays I present to you a few fun little paper cuts inspired by the cheer of the season. Enjoy!