Summer Into Fall
Summer! How did it go by so fast? I tried to paint a few things for something exciting coming up soon. But mostly, I hung out by the pool with the kids and tried to keep the house clean (impossible).
We went to Great Basin National Park again and finally saw some bristlecone pines. So beautiful! So old!
I started a new job, teaching Art to elementary school kids. Things have been busy but I have enjoyed talking about art with them and seeing what they create.
Happy fall!
Amsterdam
This spring my husband and I took our long awaited trip to Amsterdam and it was so so good.
We started out going to the Alkmaar cheese market which was everything I hoped it would be. We watched the market, went to the cheese museum, and ate raclette. Then we went to Zaans Schans which was lovely. That night we took a canal tour around the city.
The next day we went to the Van Gogh Museum, Albert Cuyp Market, and the Rijksmuseum and then took the train to Utrecht. It was great to see some lesser known paintings by Van Gogh (as well as the well known ones of course) and I loved the library in the Rijksmuseum. It was nice to see fashions and dishes and medieval art there as well as the beautiful Vermeer’s.
We had the best time in Utrecht! We biked all day and had some amazing food. We went to see Dick Bruna’s studio (the creator of Miffy). We were the only ones there and it had such a good energy. I loved the videos about his process. What a life to bike around Utrecht and make art! I love how his illustrations connected with the De Stijl movement. We went to the Rietveld Schroder house and I loved the stories of how the children were embarrassed to be living in such an avant garde house. We went to the Utrecht Botanical Gardens next to find Tom some bees and see the flowers.
Back in Amsterdam the next day we went to Keukenoff and it lived up to the hype. I guess I am obsessed with tulips now? We did get rained out towards the end but luckily we saw everything first.
We stayed in an Airbnb in Watergang and the next morning we canoed to Broek in Waterland (prettiest little town). I learned that I am very bad at paddling a canoe but luckily Tom wasn’t. Then we went back to Amsterdam for pancakes and the Hortus Botanicus. We also popped in The Tulip Museum and went to the Anne Frank Museum.
Our last day we trekked to Muiderslot to see the medieval castle. I love learning about the Middle Ages so it was a perfect way to end the trip. I really fell in love with the Netherlands.
I feel like I have been in sort of an art rut and I hoped this trip would give me a jolt of inspiration. It did make me want to just make things more and just not think so much. Or maybe to be even more slow and thoughtful like Dick Bruna? It was fun to think about how different Van Gogh is from Dick Bruna but how each of them relied so heavily on color. Color is very important to me when I paint and I would love to push it further.
Winter Things
Winter has been flying by but I am still desperate for spring.
I did finish a painting and I started a few more. I also went a bought some canvases and acrylic gouache and I am feeling excited to try some new things.
We have been skiing with the kids and without. Even though it takes a lot of effort to get up there it always feels worth it to get into the amazing trees.
The winter nights do still feel a bit slower and longer. My husband and I binged all of Reservation Dogs and loved it. I also have been into chocolate cookies and hot yoga.
I am going to try to finish up all my winter paintings this month and then on to spring!
10 Cozy Winter Books
Most of December felt so busy but after Christmas was really relaxing somehow, even with all the kids home. We played Mario Party, watched movies, went ice skating, made cookies, deep cleaned, and read books. I want to ease into January and keep winter cozy for awhile.
Here are some picture books that are helping:
Also my book is back in stock, so if you have a little skier in your life I hope you grab one. Find it here.
I hope your holidays were magical and your landing into 2024 was gentle.
To everyone who came to see me at December art markets, thank you so much. It is so fun to have my art go out into the world.
November
Halloween was fun. My kids dressed up as Blue Beetle, a penguin, and a witch/mermaid. It was funny to realize that my oldest has always been some kind of character, either a superhero or someone from Minecraft. My middle child is almost always an animal and my youngest changes her mind every year and wears multiple costumes. It’s somehow comforting how fixed kids are in their personalities, like they will be who they will be no matter what you do. It makes me feel like my influence as a mother, while enormous, is still limited and while that could be quite scary, it is also reassuring. It’s also just fun to see what they will do, they really are all quite distinct and different from each other.
I haven’t been painting as much the past few weeks but I have been drawing up a storm. It will be exciting to get them all painted. I’m hoping I can get a few done before some Christmas Art Markets I am doing.
Ever since school started things have been so busy but it feels like the short days and colder weather are forcing us to slow down now. I like that about winter but at the same time I get so sad when it gets dark at 5. When my babies were teeny it was the worst feeling. It feels more manageable now as long as I get outside during the day and exercise.
I spent a decent chunk of time last year on a project about winter and how it makes me feel, which didn’t really go anywhere. It feels like I am trying to grasp something but it keeps slipping through my hands. I have been deliberately trying to take a long break from it but I keep feeling drawn to it. Maybe someday it will all come together. Meanwhile, I will be raking leaves and making soup.
Related: I really loved the book Wintering by Katherine May and I recommend it if you are getting in a wintery mood or if you are going through a rough patch.
Bob Ross Thoughts
I read the other day that a Bob Ross painting sold for $10 million dollars. When I was a kid Bob Ross was the first person I ever saw painting. When he was on I was hooked to the TV, mostly wishing I had all his art supplies, but also feeling like the way he painted a tree was magic. It is strange to look at his paintings now after 4 years of art school and years of life and see them differently. I am not as amazed as I was as a kid. I can see how I would paint it differently now. I can see where some reference material might be helpful, where slowing down might be helpful.
But lately after watching the movie Paint (some parts were so funny, Owen Wilson is so good, and I loved the thoughts about what art is but there were a lot of confusing detours so ultimately do not recommend) I think of Bob Ross as a performance artist more now. He was putting on a show. The words he said were just as important as what he was painting. Also painting is slow and often painstaking and he found a way to make it engaging and quick.
I do love his philosophy of just painting and not overthinking, just creating and enjoying. It made me think of this article about AI art. Some people hail AI art as making art more accessible. I don’t know everything about it but Bob Ross proved that anyone can paint. The fact that his painting just sold for $10 million dollars proves that anyone can paint. You just need to paint. I am not good at singing. I have never taken lessons or worked on it. I don’t play an instrument. I am often off key and all over the place. But that is not going to stop me from singing my heart out at The Eras Movie next weekend. And I find that singing is very cathartic and healing even if I am not good at it.
We don’t need AI to make art more accessible, we just need to let go of our perfectionism. We just need to be willing to be bad.
And maybe I have been thinking about this because I need to let go of my perfectionism. I would like to make art faster, looser, and with more freedom. Maybe make an entire painting in 30 minutes. Like Bob Ross. Because honestly it is more fun that way.
Fall Prints
I have been working on some fall prints. I am almost done. It suddenly is cold and very much fall here. September was so busy with kids sports, birthday parties, parent teacher conferences, and catching up. I hope I can enjoy October more. The dream that I would have more time when my kids started school has only partially panned out. I guess carving out time is always something I have to prioritize and won’t just happen.
PSAs: You should get the cinnamon roll blondie baking mix at Trader Joe’s. They are delicious.
I am excited to watch the Halloween special of Shape Island with my kids. We will definitely also be watching our usual favorite Room on the Broom and getting into the mountains for some fall foliage.
We might skip the pumpkin patch this year because we grew our own! Our garden did so well this year. We got so many delicious tomatoes, raspberries, 2 big watermelons, zucchini, and some pumpkins.
Albion Basin
I finished this little tribute to Alta last week and I love how it turned out. It’s now up in my shop as a print and I will probably turn it into a card as well. Summer seemed to go by so fast this year. I am soaking up the sunshine while I still can and hoping to get into the mountains and see some leaves soon.
Summer Recap Part 3
Summer is almost over! We are getting ready for school now. We spent the end of it at Bear Lake and up in the mountains, which was a perfect way to end it. We had the best time at Snowbird which is only 20 minutes from our house but pure alpine magic.
I saw the Barbie movie 3 times! Feeling lucky this month that I have friends who will dress up as Barbie with me as well as ones who are up to discuss all the deep things.
I am also feeling grateful for all the moms who let my kids run all over their houses. And for school! More on that later…..
I really enjoyed this movie, What's Love Got to Do with It?
I also made my kids watch the CLASSIC Troop Beverly Hills. They thought it was okay.
Summer Recap Part 2
We went to Colorado last weekend. My husband works in Grand Junction sometimes but we had never been there. We went by some farms and luckily ended up picking tart cherries at a U Pick, with the BEST strawberry ice cream. Later I made a pie with the cherries that was fantastic. My kids loved watching the pitter and climbing ladders to get the cherries high in the trees.
Then we floated down the Colorado River in a raft with a very patient guide (my kids are all in a very LOUD phase right now). We learned some rafting rules and fun facts about the river.
The next day we went to The Colorado National Monument and hiked Devil’s Kitchen. It was a nice short hike (it was hot outside) with shady rock climbing at the end. We drove along the crazy scenic road to The Visitor’s Center so the kids could do the Junior Ranger Program, they got super into it. There were so many gorgeous views. I want to go back and hike more.
I recommend getting the ice cream at the Palisade Peach Shack. So good.
Other summer things we have been enjoying:
Shape Island on Apple TV, so cute and so visually satisfying! I could watch it all day!
We also enjoyed Frog and Toad on Apple TV. My kids have those books memorized and they loved the show.
We’ve also been reading a chapter of Pippi Longstocking together before bed.
I’m getting a bit burned out on summer but hopefully we can fit in some more fun before it ends.
Summer Recap Part 1
After school got out we went to Virgin to see my grandparents and the desert was in full bloom. It was so nice to soak up all those flowers. We also spent a day in St. George in the sun.
I recommend The St George Children's Museum, my kids had a great time there and Farmstead, so good! Also this podcast helps on long car trips.
After we got back we enjoyed June’s amazing weather and the kids had all signed up for some activities. We bought so many plants and are trying to keep them alive.
I also got to show and sell my art at A Frame Concerts and it was such a fun night.
Spring Recap
This Spring has been a huge relief after such a long winter.
It began with Vegas with friends and The Eras Concert. It was so cathartic to sing and dance with 70,000 other people and it felt like such a safe and fun environment. We also saw Six, which was great, and ate so much brunch.
Since then it’s been outside walks and so many kid sports. My 5 year old daughter had her dance recital which was the cutest. I watch the video of it whenever I feel frustrated and it is so effective.
I also participated in Utah Art Market which I really enjoy, and made some cards.
We only have one more week of school and then it’s summer vacation. I want to get into the garden and paint some blossoms. Tom and I went on our first hike of the season and I am looking forward to many more.
I made a Spring Playlist for walking around outside. I am just always happier when I can get out into the sunshine.
While I had a good Mother’s Day, it is a day that always stirs up a lot of emotions for me. I am reading Screaming on the Inside and Jessica Grose gets it. I am also reading Good Inside and I am hoping I can implement some of the things I am learning and have a peaceful summer with my kids, or more peaceful anyway.
Ski Season Recap
We ski at Brighton Ski Resort and this year was the most snow they have ever received since they began counting inches in 1943. I have been going there since I was born and it was definitely the most snow I have ever seen. We were so lucky to get in an extra long season and so many good powder days. I am so glad we started teaching the kids last year so we could do more fun things this year. I love that my kids love tree runs as much as I do, even though they fall in the powder sometimes.
Not every time goes great with kids, sometimes it is all over the place, but some days were truly magical. I love getting to share this place with them and see their skills grow. My 7 year old was anxious at the beginning of the season and struggling to try new runs or lifts. He loves animals and having him choose animal stickers to put on his helmet when he tried something new was a game changer. Listening to podcasts in the car and bringing tons of snacks also saves us. They love choosing which way to go and trying jumps. But maybe the best part is getting pizza and watching a movie afterwards when we are all exhausted. I am ready to have a break now and to get outside without so much so much gear on, but I know by winter I will be so ready to go back.
February
January was difficult. I had a sinus infection and my kids kept getting fevers. We were home for most of it. I understand that by February most people are over winter but I love it. I feel like I can appreciate winter more when I know it is ending soon and I love when I can still ski but the days are not so short.
Sometimes I like to lean into the melancholy of winter in February with what I call happy/sad February movies. These include Groundhog Day, , Lars and the Real Girl and A Man Called Ove. Except for Groundhog Day my husband usually finds happy/sad February movies to be too sad so I usually watch them alone with brownies. As an enneagram 5 I am always drawn to movies about people who isolate themselves and then learn not to, which I realize may not be everyone’s thing (like my enneagram 7 husband). Other favorites for me are About A Boy, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, and The Royal Tenenbaums .
So I might watch a happy/sad movie. And I might go skiing. I will definitely paint some more snow and I am going to enjoy February.
Also I might paint another still life. I had fun painting this one.
Snow
We have had an unusual amount of snow early in the year in Utah and it just seems to keep coming. We got an early jump on the ski season and it was amazing, more snow and less crowds. Over Christmas break we went sledding and built legos and watched movies.
I feel like I should be getting outside even more than we are but after New Year’s I caught a cold and now there is school and laundry and all sorts of things. But here’s to skiing on Friday and painting something snowy soon.
Christmas Cinderella
I haven’t painted since December started. That wasn’t my plan but that is what happened. I thought I would take the first few days, get my shopping done, my ducks in a row and I would dive back in.
I keep Christmas pretty simple. I don’t do Elf on the Shelf. I don’t have set in stone traditions. And yet, somehow it fries my brain. I have gone to the grocery store so many times. I remember little things, stocking stuffers etc. I think of other things I need while I am shopping for Christmas related things. Knowing my kids will be out of school soon makes me feel like I need to squeeze it all in while I can and yet I don’t seem to get as much done.
When I was 3 my favorite movie was Cinderella. I am not as into other Cinderella stories so I like to think it was because of Mary Blair, but it also may have just been the only movie we had on video. Anyway, Cinderella can go to the ball IF she gets all of her work done and then her stepsisters just make the list longer and longer. Cinderella is a bit naive to think she can do it all and yet that is the most relatable part. Why do we always think we can do it all?
Cinderella-ism can happen to us at any time of the year. We take care of other people first, do what is expected of us and then there is not enough time left over for us. It has taken me time to be able to leave things undone around my house, ignore it, and go paint, but I do it.
Christmas though, makes it harder. So I am trying to relax, stop thinking of things I need to do, and how I should go to the Post Office and go draw. I am trying to not add to my list or to let anyone else. Society likes to make the lists for moms longer and longer, impossibly long. I feel like the list of how to be a good mom never ends. But I am going to try to make my own list and keep it short.
10 Things I Want to Buy on Etsy
I have enjoyed being on Etsy, even though I really don’t know what I am doing. I love vintage and artsy things and I believe in shopping small.
These are 10 things in my cart:
Everything from MyNordicChristmas
Also, I will be having a sale in my shop all of next week and then closing for a few days for Thanksgiving. Find it here.
Snowy November
As soon as Halloween ended, there was snow. It feels nice to stay inside and paint.
This little vintage ski painting turned out to be fun.