Settling in to my new digs.

After moving to a new city, I’ve been feeling a mix of emotions—missing the familiarity of my home but knowing deep down I needed a change. I had been thinking about the move since the beginning of the year, but this last month I took the leap of faith and started the process of moving. I'm so grateful for the seamless transition -- the move itself, the transfer of my job, and finding a new spot was almost effortless.

Since I've been here, I've been wrestling with this confusing feeling about knowing I had to move but not knowing what exactly I'm supposed to do now that I'm here. Like, where exactly do I fit in this new city with all of these new people. I'm trusting in God to show me the way and He's slowly revealing the things I need to do here.

Now that it's been a few weeks and I’ve settled in, I’m starting to discover new ideas and feel creatively refreshed. This blog marks the beginning of a new chapter for me, where I’ll not only share personal updates but also dive deeper into the process behind my art. It’s a chance for me to be more open and direct about what inspires me and how I create. I’m excited for what’s ahead and can’t wait to bring you along on this journey!

Building a new series.

The first official painting of this new series, Form, was made as a piece for missions night for my church, where people can go to learn more about missionary work. I got the me the vision to start a portrait but to leave it incomplete and provide a framework of the face using colorful paints, textures, and splatters. I believe it has two meanings. The first is to recognize the beauty and uniqueness of each individual person who God has created. The second, though the portrait seems like it's incomplete, we still see the beauty in the growth and development of who the person is becoming.

This new series is a celebration and an acknowledgement of the pain, discomfort and joys of evolving into a new version of you. As someone who is currently going through this evolution, this series shows a very intimate part of me and I hope it resonates with whoever sees it.

I'm not sure what the other pieces will look like, but I'm excited to see them all come into form and I'm curious to know when I'll be finished with the series -- how many paintings will be enough? I guess, we'll see.

Planning intentional rest.

I know I sound like a broken record when it comes to talking about rest, but that's because it’s so important—and I’m reminding myself as much as anyone else. Resting is an essential part of any process, especially my creative one. Even though it feels strange, I’ve actually scheduled off-days where I’m prioritizing rest. That means no checking emails, no working on graphics, no calls—just taking time to recharge. It’s weird for me, but so necessary!

I've also failed at this many times, but that is a part of the process. I sometimes get fearful that I'll fall behind in life if I stop working/creating for even a second. I'm slowly snapping out of this mindset.

Dive deeper: Rest is essential for nurturing creativity and artistic expression. By taking the time to pause and recharge, you can unlock new perspectives, prevent burnout, and enhance the quality of your creative work. Here's why rest is vital for art and creativity:

• ‍Rest recharges creativity: Breaks lead to fresh ideas and prevent burnout.
  

• ‍Inspires innovation: Rest sparks unexpected insights.
  

• ‍‍Boosts output: A rested mind turns ideas into action.
  

Timeless guidance: “Better to have one handful with quietness than two handfuls with hard work
and chasing the wind.” [Ecclesiastes 4:6 NLT]

mark your calendars!

• October 1: My Street, My Story Competition submissions open
• October 17:  SC Pride Art Exhibition Reception @ The Nook in the Koger Center | 5:30pm
• November 1: My Street, My Story Competition submissions close