Once Upon a Happenstance

10 août 2026

In the beginning, there was a concept. Probably the most fully formed concept I have ever dreamed up and one that I fell in love with the minute it came to me. I did a colour map, found an inspiration piece, bought new materials and wrote up a pages long story arc that put words to my idea. I even had a list of individual paintings already done. I was excited and, for once, so sure of what I was going to do. I. Had. A. Plan.

And then … and then.

I picked up a brush, started painting to said plan aaaaaaand… it wasn’t long before the entire plan went out the window. It was easy to see that what was happening on the canvas – that colourful blobby thing I don’t always have complete control of (nor should I) – was something other than what I was expecting or quite frankly, wanting. If the plan were for round holes, I was painting square pegs.

And this illuminating moment – realizing that I needed to let go of THE PLAN and just let the art take me where it wanted to take me, show me what it wanted to show me, teach me what it needed to teach me and let it be what it wanted to be. That was the moment when this new collection took flight.

“As if you trip over a word while carrying a tray of vocabulary out to the pool only to discover that broken glass is actually a good topic.”

Each painting here is an unrepeatable moment in time, a passing feeling, a lingering thought. I toyed with a new process (zero plan, first layer acrylics, second layer oils) and softened into the unexpected twists and turns along the way. I was taking the scenic route and boy, was it fun! The less I tried to control the result, the more my intuition came through and the more this series came together, unified by the unpredictable, spontaneous, curious nature of the process itself.

This loosey-goosey approach meant more than one start didn’t cross the finish line but the ones that have are really quite special. Each painting carries the delightful spirit of my imagination and the thoughtful care of my heart. I hope my words and my art continue to serve as wise reminders to stay open, stay curious, stay playful and to keep bobbing and weaving away.

I don’t know what tomorrow is going to bring. So much is uncertain, unsteady and beyond my control. All I know is what I feel for this: what colour does for my heart and painting does for my soul isn’t going anywhere.