Why I Started The Artful Journey: Bridging the Gap Between "Art People" and "Everyone Else"
Have you ever stood in front of a piece of artwork and felt something stir inside you — and immediately thought, "ooh, that's nice!" but then walked right on by?
We live in a fast-paced, scroll-happy world where art and creativity flash by in fleeting images. Too often, they feel like skills you're either born with or just not part of your world. There's this invisible wall between "creative people" and "everyone else" — and I've spent the last 20 years watching people stand on the wrong side of it.
The Artful Journey was created to build a bridge across that gap.
The Moment I Knew Something Had to Change
After two decades as a working artist, I've heard the same phrase countless times: "I can't even draw a stick figure!" — usually said right after someone tells me how much they love my work.
Every single time, I hear something deeper underneath those words: a belief that creativity belongs "over there," with people like me.
But here's what I know that they don't: creativity isn't an exclusive club. It's not a gene you either have or don't have. And you don't need to pick up a paintbrush to live a more creative, connected life.
My Background: Raised by Makers, Shaped by Stories
I've been a working artist for over 20 years, specializing in expressive acrylic paintings that tell layered stories through:
- Vivid poppy flowers that bloom from the same soil I walk through in my garden
- Expressive female figures exploring identity and self-worth
- Introspective portraits of children, especially girls navigating their inner worlds
But long before I picked up a paintbrush professionally, I grew up surrounded by makers. My dad worked construction by day and built with wood in his shop at night. My mom was a school librarian who sewed, gardened, and always had a creative project underway — though she'd be the first to tell you that my dad was "the creative one." What she didn't realize was that her constant making, her attention to beauty in everyday things, was creativity in action.
I was raised in a world where making things was just what we did.
That's the real root of my creativity — not just formal art training, but years of real-life trial, error, passion, and curiosity in a household that valued creating with your hands.
The Three Problems I See Every Day
Through my art career, I've observed the same challenges showing up again and again in the people I meet:
1. The Practical Path Has Left You Feeling Uninspired
You took a sensible career route, and now your days feel logical but rarely spark joy. You're successful, but something's missing.
2. You Never Learned How to Think or Live Creatively
You didn't grow up in a creative household, so creativity feels foreign — like a language everyone else speaks fluently while you're still looking for the dictionary.
3. Life is Busy, and Your Creative Energy Goes to Everyone Else First
You are creative, but between work, family, and responsibilities, there's nothing left for the expressive part of yourself.
What Makes This Even Harder to Solve
In a world that celebrates blockbuster creativity — think high fashion, viral content, and big-budget productions — it's easy to forget that quiet, personal creativity matters just as much. Maybe even more.
Social media compounds this problem in two ways. First, creativity gets reduced to fleeting images and highlight reels, making it feel even more out of reach. But second, and perhaps more damaging, social media shows you how to make everything crafty and artistic under the sun — in under 10 minutes.
When you're constantly seeing creative projects resolve themselves in quick tutorials, you start to believe that creativity should happen quickly. That it should be simple. But the real truth is that creativity is a skill. It takes work, trial and error, patience, and enjoyment with the process itself — not just the end result.
What Becomes Possible When You Let Creativity In
When you start to understand what a creative life actually looks like — not the Instagram version, but the real, messy, beautiful version — everything shifts:
✨ You begin to see things differently
✨ You solve problems with more flexibility and confidence
✨ You start to feel more curious, connected, and expressive
Maybe your home begins to feel more like you because you've brought in artwork that speaks to your soul. Maybe you start noticing beauty in ordinary moments. Maybe you just feel less alone in a world that often prioritizes productivity over wonder.
My "Ah-Ha" Moment: Art as Bridge, Not Barrier
The moment that crystallized my mission actually happened across two different art shows. At the first, a woman walked in and almost immediately pointed to a painting of bold red and orange poppies. No hesitation. "That one," she said.
Poppies were her favorite flower. She grew them in her garden. It was a visual connection — clear, emotional, immediate. I watched her whole body say yes before her brain had time to overthink it.
At another show, a woman stood quietly in front of a figurative painting. She was clearly going through a tender time in her life. Though she didn't say much, I could tell the artwork had spoken to something she didn't have words for.
That's when I realized: sometimes buying art isn't just decorating a wall — it's a conversation, a decision, an emotion, a yes.
And if my art could create those moments of recognition and connection, maybe my words could too.
What Makes My Perspective Unique
There are many artists out there, but no one sees the world quite the way I do. I paint — and write — from the lens of:
- Being a woman and mother to two daughters
- Having been a partner to my husband for 28 years
- Living as a lifelong maker, raised by hands-on, creative parents
- Believing deeply in visual storytelling, layered symbolism, and introspective moments
This isn't just artistic perspective — it's life perspective. I've navigated creativity through raising a family, running a business, and all the beautiful chaos that comes with building a life around making things.
What The Artful Journey Offers You
The Artful Journey is my invitation to step over to the creative side of the wall — not to become an artist (unless you want to!), but to understand what a life touched by creativity can feel like.
🖌️ Stories Behind the Artwork
Not just what I paint, but why. The inspiration, emotions, and process that turn blank canvas into meaningful art.
✨ Real-Life Lessons from the Studio (and Beyond)
I've lived this creative life through trial and error. I share what's worked, what hasn't, and what I'm still figuring out.
🌱 A Thoughtful, Personal Point of View
This isn't cookie-cutter content. It's intentional, authentic, and deeply personal — maybe it'll resonate with something in you.
📨 A Rhythm You Can Count On
Bi-weekly emails with personal updates, plus monthly deep-dive blog posts that explore creativity, art, and living with more intention.
The Response That Keeps Me Going
Some of the most meaningful moments in my art career have come from watching people connect with my work — sometimes instantly, sometimes in a way that leaves them speechless.
There's something powerful that happens when someone finds a piece of art that speaks to them. I've seen people stand in front of paintings and just feel something shift. I've watched conversations happen between viewer and artwork that go deeper than words.
These moments remind me why this work matters. Art — whether it's a painting on your wall or words that shift your perspective — has the power to make us feel less alone and more connected to the wonder that's always there, waiting to be noticed.
A Different Way to Connect
Let's be honest: social media isn't built for deep connection. It's fast, flashy, and often too noisy to hear yourself think.
The Artful Journey is different. It's quiet, personal, and thoughtful. It's a space where I get to be fully myself — and invite you to do the same.
Whether you're here because you love art, want to live more creatively, or are simply curious about what it's like to be an artist today... this is your invitation to join a conversation that goes deeper than the scroll.
Ready to Join The Journey?
The Artful Journey is for the art-curious, the creatively hungry, and those who believe in the beauty of everyday expression.
Let's explore the color, the questions, the wonder, and the stories — together.
→ [Sign up for The Artful Journey newsletter here]
