I find it interesting, after I’ve signed a painting, to look back at the model I used when I was first deciding what flower to paint. There are times when one can see the completed painting and recognize the source. This is not one of those times. Partway through the process of painting day after day, I put the model aside and let the painting decide what it wanted to become. There were many steps and stages and a variety of very different color schemes. But this is the final outcome of what the painting wanted to become after months of work. Getting to the end was quite an interesting journey. I’m happy with the outcome even though I was surprised by the direction it took.

I began this daily journal in February, 2026 as I prepared for my solo exhibition, “Portraits From My Garden” at Locust Grove in Poughkeepsie, NY, from June 5 – September 15, 2026, my work for the group show, “Hearing Women’s Voices” at the Ceres Gallery in from June 23. to July 18, 2026, and my upcoming November 2026, solo exhibition titled, “Centering in the Midst of Chaos” in Chelsea, New York City