Hey friend!
I’m finally sitting down to catch my breath after what feels like a whirlwind of a few weeks.
We got back from Italy a little over three weeks ago, and honestly? My heart is still partially there. Sleep deprivation and getting back into our routine wasn't even the hard part... the hard part has just been missing it! My whole family fell in love with it so deeply. It was magnificent, beautiful, and so deeply inspiring, but most of all, getting to do it as a family is something I will never, ever forget. I know going right back isn't reality, but I’d hop on a plane tomorrow if I could!
Still, being back at home brings so many joys. Caedon is hardcore into fall ball right now, which has been so fun to watch. Plus, the Alabama heat finally broke! We’ve been sitting in the 60s and 70s this week, which is absolute perfection. As I write this, our back porch door and multiple windows are wide open right now. Our house feels like a little open-air camp with a fresh breeze flowing through, and I love it so much.
We’re also gearing up for the holidays! Caedon is going as Darth Vader for Halloween, and he’s going to be a Blue Angels pilot for school... I think I’m just as excited as he is! And as we look toward Thanksgiving and Christmas, I’m feeling this huge sense of peace. Over the last five years, the holiday season meant shipping thousands of orders, balancing inventory with cash flow, traveling for holiday shows (that were exhausting!), and dealing with shipping delays. But my business looks so different than it used to, which means I’m not heading into a month and a half of pure, chaotic insanity this year (!!!). Yes, there will still be a lot of things to do, and there will be added stress, but the way my team and I work is so much more aligned with, just, well, life now. So instead of chaos, I’m feeling excitement, eagerness, and peace. I am holding onto that tightly.
On the business front, things have been moving fast behind the scenes! I haven't been able to make as much art as I've wanted to since landing back in the States, but that's about to shift.
Back in August, I invested in a pretty big, in-depth business course. I love being an entrepreneur and I'm not going anywhere, but I knew I needed additional skills in several areas, so this is my first of three classes. I took a break while we were in Italy, but diving back in has taken up a massive chunk of my time lately. I’m almost through the bulk of it, though! And the best part is that putting these systems in place now is going to free up so much more space for art down the road.
Speaking of art... I’m wrapping up the Ocean Series right now and getting so excited for what’s next. I’ve got a Blue Heron collection coming, and I really want to do a Lake collection soon, too. I love being surrounded by water, whether it's oceans, rivers, or lakes, and it just feels so natural and effortless for me to paint things associated with that. Keeping that joy in the process is everything. (And FYI—I have an ENTIRE day blocked off this Thursday just to paint! I can't wait.)
Pictured above: Some of David Hockney's work on display at Tampa Museum of Art
I also took a quick trip down to Tampa last week for my very first in-person meeting with the Museum Store Association. Working with museums across the country is something I am very passionate about, so getting to network, make new friends, tour the Henry B. Plant Museum, and walk through the Tampa Museum of Art was just fabulous.
There were many highlights, but getting to see a David Hockney exhibit was near the top. His work is so vibrant and incredible, but what struck me most was how seamlessly he moved between different mediums throughout his career. As an artist, I often catch myself thinking, “Okay, Amanda, you need to stick to watercolor.” But I love watercolor, block printing, pen and ink... all of it! Seeing his exhibit felt like permission to just embrace and enjoy all the different mediums that call to me.
If there’s one big takeaway from these past few weeks, it’s about alignment.
Life is always busy—don't get me wrong, it always will be! But in this season, my absolute top priority is making sure I don't veer off from my core values. I want to be home with Caedon in the afternoons. I want to live simply, stay in my creative flow, and not let greed or the pressure to build something bigger pull me away from what actually matters.
I’ve intentionally cut my travel down from 10–12 trips a year to just two really crucial ones (like the big MSA conference in Albuquerque next May!). I’ve gone through a huge "shedding" phase this year—working on outsourcing and cutting out anything that doesn't feel aligned. I feel like I’m entering another phase of letting go, with the ultimate goal of being able to paint three days a week and run the business side two days a week. Right now it’s hovering around one to two days of painting, but I’m actively building the path to get to three!
Thank you for being here, for following along with this journey, and for supporting this creative life.
Amanda
