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 absence?
Would I apologize for disappearing?
Pretend nothing happened at all?

I wanted to be sure that each email would be profound and inspiring.
Each piece of artwork complete.
Each message filled with joy and whimsy.

Yes, perfectionism is sneaky.

How many great ideas or thoughtful anecdotes have I allowed to fall through the cracks simply because I didn’t know where Sunlight Forest was going or what it wanted to be?

How many times did I think, “Oh, I should share that in the newsletter…,” only to remember that I hadn’t sent a newsletter in ages?

But what I’ve realized is that I really miss writing to you each week, Reader. I miss writing stories, spreading joy, and sharing my art.

Sunlight Forest has been my dream to bring light and joy to the world. And even though I still don’t know where it will all lead, I know that I won’t figure it out unless I share what I want to share and see what happens next.

So I’ve decided to show up imperfectly, much like I do with my art, and take things one step at a time.

That starts here, with a renewed weekly newsletter. I can’t promise exactly what you’ll find each week, because I’m not sure myself yet.

But I do know this:

I want Sunlight Forest to be a place where wonder takes root.
Where joy and whimsy live side by side with self-discovery.
Where creativity is celebrated, and where gentle encouragement abounds.

With so much darkness in the world, we could all use just a little more light. 🕯️

If this sounds good to you, I hope you’ll join me on the journey, Reader.

And, I’d love to hear your thoughts on perfectionism. What imperfect thing might you commit to this week?

Thank you for being here. I’m so glad to be writing to you again.

​

Until next week,

PS: If you'd like to revisit previous newsletters, I've organized them all here.

Inside My Sketchbook:

I've developed a daily sketching practice to hone my drawing skills using a variety of prompts. These two sketches were the result of prompts for spring animals during a week in May.

Pictures of the Week:

I captured this glorious sunset on a walk earlier this week. So many beautiful colors! The flowers are from my neighbor's beautiful garden.