I’ve been thinking about art, and the concept of it, as I paint. I often like to watch documentaries while I’m in the studio, often in French to keep my language skills alive. I’ve been watching a lot of documentaries on different artists of late, and it’s been fun to think about the concept of what art really is.

Art is certainly a luxury item… pretty much always has been. In times past it was generally only available to the wealthy, even the nobility, and the creators of it didn’t have the luxury of keeping it with them. While I firmly believe art feeds the soul, it is not a strict necessity. We don’t need it to fill our bellies, or provide shelter. However, it is one of the things that enriches our lives, providing beauty and hope in a world that can otherwise be pretty bleak.

We can certainly survive on very simple diet… mankind has for centuries. How lovely, however, when the same simple ingredients are artfully prepared. In the same vein, we only need simple structures to protect us from the elements. However, what a difference it makes when what is needed is transformed into something artfully designed to embrace or awe us. Art, in all its forms, makes our lives much richer and more enjoyable.

Personally, I am a bit of a magpie. I love being surrounded by beautiful and intriguing things that I have a connection to. I love it when a home is very personalized, and when things have a story to them that reflects something about the lives lived there.

We live in a time when so many things are mass produced, and we can change our decor so easily. We no longer, like Shakespeare, bequeath our best bed to our heirs. They have new ones in the current style. Especially in this country, it’s not difficult to change things up and do a whole new look when it suits us. The beauty of art, though, is that it can be so timeless. It has a certain magic, that if chosen well, can transcend trends and become an heirloom. Like a good piece of jewelry, it elevates any room, and adds a quality of substance to the decor.

I love the challenge of creating pieces that capture the essence of what I feel in a place, distilling the elements down to the poetry of it, and saying more with less. I love the challenge of capturing my reactions to an area. When I visit a new place, i love to soak it in and decide what I want to say about it. I’m quite excited to paint Southern Utah, and am so excited to share some images of that area in my next newsletter… I’ve been needing to get some pruning and planting done, but can soon get back to painting.

I am home for the next 2 months, and now is a fantastic time to place any commission orders you might be thinking of, as I feel very inspired. The days are longer, there is sun, and my flowers will soon be bursting forth in all their glory. I planted masses of bulbs last year, and am so excited to see the fruits of my labor!

Enjoy the new images, and Oh! my apologies for not responding to so many of your lovely emails from last month… there was an issue with my email not being connected to my inbox and I only just got them… I have the best intentions of responding personally, but am not always stellar at that. Thank you so much for your kind words and thoughts!

Warmest regards,