Back Porch Inspirations and Scuba Diving Dreams

There is a specific kind of pressure that comes with working with watercolor and India ink. It's permanent. Once that pigment touches the paper, there are no changes—it’s officially part of the finished piece. That being said, I am so happy to announce that the Songbird Series is finished!

While I initially thought about doing twelve songbirds, this set of nine feels just right. They are done in a style similar to my original state wildflower series. Drew and I were looking at them lined up in the studio and realized we need a set for ourselves. They remind us of the early spring and summer mornings we spend on the back porch with our coffee. Even Caedon has started joining us lately (with his milk, of course -- see pic below!), and seeing these birds on the wall will always remind me of this sweet, yet wild (ha), season of life.

The Launch Details:

• June 1st: Launching to my email list first! All 5" x 7" original songbird paintings will be available for $75.

• June 2nd: Prints and plantable greeting cards will officially launch for everyone.

I’m especially excited for my partners at Wild Birds Unlimited and various National Parks to get these in their shops soon.

While the songbirds were painted from a place of peace and stillness, the Coastal Series was painted from another place that brings me joy. When I’m scuba diving (pic below of us on our last dive!), it feels like I’ve entered another world. That deep respect for the water is what fueled this series. I’m still holding out hope to dive with a hammerhead or a whale shark soon—hopefully during the Belize trip Drew and I are planning for our 15th anniversary in 2028! We do not have a release date for these just yet, but they will be launching soon.

I also started the Nursery Series this week and, for the first time, tried to pre-determine a color palette. It didn't turn out quite how I wanted, so I’m starting over. But that’s the beauty of the studio—if it doesn’t work the first time, you just try a different way.

The business side of things is starting to get there. We are almost done with the new print and plantable greeting card listings, and the wholesale catalog is coming together for our retailers. I've been working "in" my business for months now, and I'm really excited to soon be working "on" my business.

I’m not "there" yet, and my to-do list is still a mile long, but I’m too determined to stop now. Thank you for being part of this journey.