I want things to really sink in. To go slower. To have an impact. To assimilate.

Or, as the Beastie Boys said, “Let it flow, let yourself go / Slow and low, that is the tempo.”

I’m transitioning to summer mode. Nathaniel’s last day of first grade is Monday (what, huh?!) and on Tuesday he and I are flying to Louisiana to visit my family for about a week. Drew can’t join us this time because he’s super busy finishing up the first section of a software development apprenticeship that he started this month. He’ll have more classes before starting a one-year (paid!) on-the-job learning apprenticeship program at Microsoft later this fall. I am SO proud of him and happy/grateful that he got this amazing opportunity.

I’ve been creating new original abstract paintings, mostly working in ongoing series. The ones above and below are part of a series called Light. I’ve been enjoying experimenting with gentle transparent watercolor washes and light pencil marks. I’ve felt a craving for space in my creative work and my mind.

Note: I keep typing and deleting here. I guess what I want to say and not say is that I’m learning more about taking care of home stuff these days. Ever since we moved to Seattle in 2008, Drew has either worked from home or was at home due to a layoff and he’s taken care of a lot of our domestic tasks. If you know me, you know that I like to tell domestic tasks, “I’m just not that into you.” But I swear I’m trying! Basically, I don’t want to spend much time chatting about this on my art blog, but just wanted to convey that I’m taking on a “new role” here and it’s harshing my mellow a bit, man. But…I AM SO GRATEFUL. Seriously. You have no idea. SO GRATEFUL.

I’ve been getting more and more into meditation lately and getting to know/listen to my intuition. Thanks for your all your podcasts, Jess Lively! I’m learning more about and applying Feng Shui to our home and I’m decluttering the crap out of it! I’ve made a new friend at NW Crystals (thanks for the smokey quartz and apophyllite, AJ!) and my apartment smells like Nag Champa. Basically I’ve embraced my inner hippie/woowoo goddess/whatever you want to call her. Drew says that I’ve ALWAYS been this way. Maybe just certain kinds of hippies make me roll my eyes. Whatever. I feel grounded and calm and creative and happy and positive most of the time.

It may sound crazy to some people – Hi, Mom! – but I can tell you this. Ever since I started thinking about and focusing on the energy that we’re made of and surrounded by and that we put out into the world, I feel different. I feel more positive and connected and focused. I believe that what we think about and what we do and how we live and love matters, in our huge universe as well as in our own tiny worlds. I believe that humans have developed unhelpful habits of living too much in the past or future. I’m learning to spend most of my time in the present moment, and it feels like a huge gift.

I’m not exactly sure what my point is today, but I did want to reach out and fill you guys in on some things and thoughts that are happening in my life. Maybe you can relate to some of them. If you want to chat, feel free to send me an email or find me on Instagram (my favorite place online).

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