What You Believe, What's Actually True, and Why

"Maybe is Enough" Tap image for details.

What lots of people believe: "To be truly creative you need lots of space, unlimited time, and endless materials."

What's true: Constraints—whether physical, emotional, or practical—are the prime drivers of the creative process, at least for me. Limits force choices. They strip things down, sharpen focus, and lead to deeper, more surprising outcomes. Far from stifling creativity, they give it direction.

     I treat challenges as collaborators. Constraints give me something solid to lean on—or push against. Instead of scattering my energy, I can focus, dig deeper, and see new things. It's why my work is always evolving, always changing. Often in ways that surprise me.
     We all live within certain constraints. Certainly constraints are part of who I am, physically and emotionally. Some things I can change. Some I can't. Others I choose in order to challenge my way of seeing. Here are some examples:

Weighing the Options" 17H x 22W inches, on paper. Tap image for details.

Working on a small piece can completely shift how I approach composition. Without room to sprawl, marks matter in a completely different way than working on a large canvas.

"Walk Me Through the Ways" 50H x 36W inches, on canvas. Tap image to view details.

Limiting my palette, sometimes drastically, pushes me to use contrast and layering in ways I wouldn’t if I had every color at my fingertips. Constraint becomes a catalyst. Contrarily, using loads of color, but never the same color twice, whew, that's also an eye-opener.

"Galloping Horse" 49H x 61W inches, on canvas. Tap on image to view details.

Creating during heightened periods of grief, pain, excitement, or joy affects my capacity in ways I don’t necessarily choose or understand. There's just no head space for second guessing or over editing. Emotions are a kind of truth serum, cutting through noise to reveal  authenticity that's wondrous and uplifting. 

     So here’s to ceilings that aren't tall enough, and time that’s too short. To the canvas that’s too small, the house that needs cleaning, and the wound that needs healing. Whether you’re a fellow artist or an art lover, know this: the richest, most authentic works rarely come from wide-open space, unlimited time, and endless materials. They come from limitations.
     When you collect work born in challenge, you’re connecting to more than a painting—you’re getting the grit, ingenuity, and grace that shaped it. That’s power, and it enriches your own story, too.

Studio News:

*I'm thrilled to have my work highlighted in Studio Visit Magazine, volume 53. A juried artist magazine produced by the publishers of New American Paintings, it features artists selected by professional curators and presented  to a serious national audience of art world professionals. pp. 144-145, Volume 53, Studio Visit

*"Rounding the Light," my 2025 solo exhibition, has received lots of positive feedback. Thank you! If you haven't visited it yet, please check it out here
 
*Thanks so much for supporting me during these challenging times. I appreciate you and wish you love, laughter, and abundance.