Hi Reader, This morning, I was running late for my chiropractor appointment and left the house without my phone. I realized it the moment my audiobook didn’t automatically play in the car. For a split second, I thought about turning back. But the drive was short, so I decided to carry on without it. In the waiting room, instead of checking email, I picked up the local newspaper—something I haven’t done in years. It felt almost quaint, like stumbling into a hidden glade where time moves...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Hey Reader, Can you believe it is September already? Here in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania the weather has shifted and we are in the midst of those golden sunny days with mild temperatures, gentle breezes and puffy white clouds in the sky. I’ve been spending as much time outside as I can, soaking in the last days of summer. This September feels like a new beginning of sorts. The departure of one of my regular marketing clients has me rethinking the services I offer and I’m EXCITED about my...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, This week I did something that both intimidated and excited me: I signed up for a free 5-day Photoshop challenge with illustrator and pattern designer, Sarah Watts. I haven’t created any patterns for a while and thought this might be a way to get back into pattern-making again. And while I’m good at making patterns in Adobe Illustrator, I’ve realized that the textures I like to add to my art might actually translate better in Photoshop. The first exercise was creating a flower...
2 months ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, Somewhere along the line, we were told that clean surfaces and color-coded files are the sign of a productive life. And sure, a little order can be nice—but so can the quiet magic of a glorious, living mess. Right now, my desk is a landscape of paints, sketchbooks, and little scraps of tracing paper with random drawings. It’s not “Instagram-worthy.” I used to look at this mess as a necessary part of my creative process, yet still felt “bad” about it. I thought I should really be...
3 months ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader, Sorry I missed you last week. Sadly, I was in bed with COVID. But I'm back this week with a fresh essay. Enjoy! Growing up in the city, I can’t say I heard much country music, aside from the occasional Hank Williams song my Pap Pap played on a dusty record player. In fact, I might never have become a fan of country music unless I’d taken a driving job in my early 20s. One of the routes I was assigned took me up into the mountains of Pennsylvania’s fading coal region. In those days...
3 months ago • 5 min read
Hi Reader, I mentioned in my last newsletter that I’d started a daily sketching practice. It began in February when I joined Sketchbook Squad, a membership for illustrators and surface pattern designers. One of the reasons I joined was that each week I got a set of art prompts around each season of the year. Each week, we’d tackle subjects for themes like landscapes, animals, objects, plants, and characters. At first, I found the prompts energizing. I no longer had to think about what to draw...
3 months ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader, It’s been quite a while since I’ve sent a newsletter. I could tell you about the twists and turns of the past year—life, creativity, work, and everything in between. But the real reason you haven’t seen me in your inbox lately is much simpler: I wasn’t sure how to return and I wanted to do it “perfectly”. Since I let go of this newsletter rather abruptly, I thought I needed a splashy comeback. ➡️ New products➡️ A new mission➡️ A new project Otherwise, how would I explain my...
4 months ago • 2 min read
Animal Adventures The past two weeks have been interesting to say the least. As expected, my birthday was unseasonably warm, though a bit foggy. I took the day off from everything, including client work to take a drive to one of my favorite woodland hiking trails by the river. The mist coming off the river shrouded the area with magic, along with a surprise. As I began my walk along the trail, I came upon a man with a beautiful white bird perched on his arm, talking to a couple on their...
over 1 year ago • 5 min read
The Magic of Fire I hope you're enjoying the winter weather wherever you are and staying warm, Reader. Last week was bitterly cold here in Lancaster County, PA and we also had some snow. Fortunately, this week is shaping up to be much milder. In fact, on Friday Mother Nature may provide me a birthday gift with temperatures approaching 60 degrees F, quite warm for January. :) Because of the unpredictable nature of January weather, my dear friend Angie and I had to postpone our plans to perform...
almost 2 years ago • 2 min read