Currently in my hands is a book titled “Called to Create” by Jordan Raynor. Raynor quotes painter/photographer Kristin Joy Taylor who said, “ Creativity is not a fringe thing but is central and of infinite worth, because we are made in the image of God.”

This. Deeply resonates with my soul.

When one feels called to create, called to use the gifts they have been given, you are definitely put in a vulnerable place. It’s so much easier to hide your gifts, not share them or make up excuses. But when you take that leap of faith and you put your work out there knowing that this is exactly what you are suppose to do… it still feels risky….. in fact, it is risky. Risk of rejection, risk of being misunderstood, risk of feeling foolish…. the “risk list”, even as I type them is stirring up tension in my finger tips.


But rewards happen. 


Sometimes the reward is in the failure… as long as we can step back and see it as learning lesson. 

Other times, Whala!  A reward shows up seemingly out of nowhere. But wait a minute, let’s back track and connect the dots. Those seemingly little daily risks, ones that perhaps were recognized, many that were not, now have a spotlight on them.

It was 5 years ago I nervously signed up to share and sell  my work on Daily Paint Works. Subscribed to their daily emails list a few months prior, each morning I eagerly awaited the email to arrive in my inbox. Scrolling through the line up of well over 100 pieces of original art was, and still is exhilarating to me.  I would even draw small thumbnail sketches of pieces that caught my eye in my sketchbook and jot down notes about the piece. Clicking through the links I could find the artist’s bio, a link to their website or blog and get to know a little more about the artist and the work that I admired. 

 I wanted to be apart of this art community. I loved the idea of painting small pieces daily. This daily ritual was the catalyst to fuel the start up of a full time art career. Although this career has taken many detours over the past 5 years I can honestly look back and smile. A smile that shows many wrinkles from hours of “squinting” to see better.  I can’t say that I’ve stayed faithful to the route of daily painting as I did in the beginning of my career but I would say that this is one of the foundations I have build my career on.

​It's always an adventure going outside to paint- from dodging rain drops to dealing with the bugs, sunburn on your ankles to easels blown over by the wind....  but with all that said.. I  still .... truly love it! There really isn't anything that compares to being out in the landscape or by the ocean that you're painting. The sounds, smells and feel of an area are somehow absorbed into the artist and onto the canvas. Here are a few pieces and photos from some summertime excursions that I thought I would share with you. .I usually team up with a few other painters from a few different art groups. The Madison Art Society and CT Shoreline Artists - as well as other groups like the Branford Art Alliance and CT Plein Air Painters. So if you see someone along the side of the road ...standing there with easel.... painting... that could be me... so stop and say Hello!