Joy even in the storm!

It may have had a rough start and a lot of trials along the way, but 2026 is shaping up to be a joyful year with my art! I'm happy to announce that I have been working with Duck Cottage Coffee and Books in Duck, NC, since last fall on a project that is well underway! It began after the owner, Jamie, purchased my original plein air collage of Duck Cottage from Dare Arts Gallery following the "Fresh From The Outer Banks Plein Air Event". She loved this tiny piece so much that she wanted to sell prints of the artwork in her shop. The first batch of prints sold quickly and she has since reordered more. This also led to a licensing agreement to also put the artwork on latte mugs! The mugs are now available in her shop as well. If you visit the Outer Banks at all, it is worth your time to stop into this quaint shop, get a cup of their famous Coconut Crunch coffee, a large muffin, and snag a good book to enjoy on the beach! And if you would like to show support for me and Duck Cottage, consider a latte mug and a print!!!

In February, my backyard studio also arrived and it is now up and running! It may not be completely settled yet but everything is there to allow me to work with intention and in peace. I cannot express enough how wonderful it was to work with Isaac Cochran at My Cottage Studios on creating this beautiful studio!! He was attentive to every detail and need I might have, and it sits out back like a "bluebird of happiness"! I feel inspired every minute I work out there. (Detailed pictures in a future post.)

Looking ahead, I have four works in an upcoming show at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture for the Art for the Journey Annual Gala and Fundraiser, September 10, 2026. This is a non-profit program that is close to my heart as it seeks to bring opportunities for creative expression to underserved and vulnerable communities in order to promote healing, well-being, and social connection to transform lives. The gala is open to all but does require a ticket. My works and those of other local artists will all be for sale benefitting the program.

This fall kicks off a big change with increased opportunities to take classes with me at the Center for Creative Arts at Shady Grove in Glen Allen. I have added new class offerings and extended my teaching days into next May! The majority of class changes and offerings will take place after the holidays, as I will be making a trip to Italy in late September (a lifelong dream come true), so I will only have one opportunity in early September and a second one starting in October until mid-November. After the busy holiday season, you will find many new courses being offered at the Center. I have one-day, three week, and six week class offerings and a special Thursday class on Meditative Arts to start your new year off right!

If you are still with me for this very first blog post, thank you!!! Your support for my art and the encouragement you give me as an instructor has led me to this beautiful moment where I can, at last, feel that I can call myself a "real artist". I have so much more to share as I move forward with my website and my art, and you will find all of that right here. My blog may be about more than just art at times because, after all, life is art!!

So keep your heart full, your light shining bright, and look for the joy even in the storms, it's there waiting to be discovered.