mini blogs about places I have had my art outside my atelier …

Follow the Trail of Curiosity : observe, wonder, research, journal & express the discovery … through watercolor & ink paintings, 6”x6”.

On Display at the Johnston (IA) Public Library, June–July, 2024

I chose these pieces to put on display because they represent the start of my present-day love affair with art-making and sharing it with the world around me…

In 2021, I committed myself to participating in a challenge on Instagram, #the100DayProject. The idea was to choose one thing to do for 100 days, recording and sharing about it on Instagram each day. I decided to paint a 6”x6” watercolor painting each day for 100 days. I currently and have always doodled on the edges of note-taking papers; yet, coming from a background of graphic art using a computer to create images for others, this was a refreshing dip into creativity for creativity’s sake. There is something enchanting about a paintbrush, paints, and the movement of them across the paper, discovering the properties of watercolors while stretching out from the comfort zone of pen and ink.

Forced to find a ‘muse’ daily, I found myself keenly aware of everyday delights. The flit of blue as a dragonfly flew past me sent me looking up dragonflies just to discover the intricate lace of their wings and the deep blues, greens, and purples of their bodies. The morning greeting from Mel, the meadowlark, outside the kitchen door called me to search the bird books for a close-up look at his dapper black vest-piece. Sun pouring through gaping branches of a backyard tree looked as though it was revealing the very heart and soul of that tree. These kinds of things sparked a delight and Joy within; that Joy being an awe and wonder of our Creator. These spirited explosions just had to be expressed.

My work is whimsical, colorful, and holds a personal story. Following the Trail of Curiosity is my art-making process. It is just digging in and beginning, drawing upon what my heart holds, and expressing my Joy.