Hiking in southern Utah refilled my creative well and I discovered an architectural masterpiece in the desert. Last year at this time I was visiting everything Gaudi in Barcelona before heading to Morocco to teach an art retreat. [...]

I just finished teaching the final workshop in my studio this past weekend and one of the biggest questions was how do you know when to stop? I was able to give guidance and allow the artist to see through my eyes what they couldn't see in the moment. During the creative process you may become so close to what you hope to create that you don't see what is right in front of you, or alternative options. It is important to step back and see with fresh eyes. I was impressed with all the work that came out of the intensive 3-day master class. [...]

I just returned from teaching at an art retreat in Italy and I was happy to see that I had not missed the cherry harvest from my backyard tree. It is a small tart cherry tree that doesn't produce very large fruit and the birds usually get most of them. This year due to some much-needed rains in our arid mountain climate, there was an abundance of cherries. There had been a gentle rain the night before and when I went to pick the cherries in the morning, they were still moist with rain. As I poked my head through the branches and reached for the fruit I was transported back in time to a specific day and place. It was like time-traveling, I was there in that moment. [...]

Today we will begin in the present moment. When you are in the midst of your journey, whether it is on the road or in the middle of creating, time slips away, and you become a part of the creative process. First when you are creating outside your usual studio or table, you have already taken a step toward change. Your normal supplies are not available, and you are sharing a small space with many others. I find that when I am working like this my art is very different. [...]

Sometimes the best way to move forward is to see where you have already been. I am often moving from one project or deadline to the next. My vision is focused on the creations in front of me and the future explorations. When I look back over the years, I see a long road of many paintings and projects that I have done. I can also see where my creative journey took a turn and how that affected my work. [...]

You all know that I am a science loving geek that paints weird physics concepts. I am a synesthete. That is someone with crossed senses. When I listen to music, I can see colors. Numbers and mathematical equations create songs in my mind which in turn get translated to colors. My imagination is an interesting place to live in. I never really thought about the way I perceived things was unusual, I thought everyone did. [...]