What a 30-minute drawing challenge taught me

Before we dive in, a quick announcement for my SoCal friends! I’ll be at Sip @ Seaport on Friday, June 21st with a table full of originals, prints, and cards. It’s a fun little art and wine fair by the water, and I’d love to say hi in person. Come by if you’re around, or feel free to share this with any friends who might want to stop by!

Now, onto this month’s letter from the studio. June has been about small steps. Small steps in art, in healing, in life. Below, you’ll find three pieces of that journey: a creative challenge I set for myself while settling into San Diego, an artist whose work pulled me in with just a glance, and a quote that has been walking beside me during a difficult season.

Here’s what’s inside:

  • Art In Progress – a floral drawing challenge that reminded me how far I’ve come
  • Creative Perspectives – pencil sketches that led me to the powerful work of Charlene Mosley
  • Mindful Moments – on grief, love, and the courage to walk one step at a time

Let’s begin.

Art In Progress

A few weeks ago, while unpacking another moving box, I found a book I had nearly forgotten: Inking Florals by Isa Down. I bought it years ago, before I ever picked up watercolors. At the time, it intimidated me. I remember flipping through its pages and thinking, “Maybe one day.”

That day came, quietly, without fanfare. In the midst of all the transitions of settling into San Diego, I craved something light, something playful, something that didn’t require a plan. So I opened the book, not to follow it step-by-step, but to respond to it with my own instincts.

I gave myself two guidelines:

  1. Let each floral sketch be loose and expressive.
  2. Don’t spend more than 30 minutes on any of them.

That’s it. No perfection, no overthinking. Just ink and paint, curiosity, and a timer.

To my surprise, the results impressed me. Not because they were polished, but because they reminded me that creativity isn’t about following instructions. It’s about trusting what’s already inside you.

If you’re feeling creatively stuck or overwhelmed by life, I encourage you to try this: pick up something that once intimidated you, and respond to it, your way. You might be surprised by what unfolds.

Creative Perspectives

At the recent show opening at Sparks Gallery in San Diego, one set of artworks caught me off guard, in the best way. They were pencil sketches: quiet, detailed, very feminine, and filled with emotion. I didn’t know who the artist was, but they stayed with me.

So I did what any curious artist would do, I went searching. That’s how I found Charlene Mosley.

Charlene is a fine artist, illustrator, and muralist with a deep range of expression. The work I saw at the gallery felt different from the colorful paintings featured on her website, but both styles share a quiet power. Whether she’s working in pencil or paint, her art explores heritage, movement, and human complexity.

Born in Berlin and now based in San Diego, Charlene’s background as a biracial German-American artist informs much of her perspective. Her portfolio includes everything from editorial illustration to large-scale public murals, and she’s also illustrated a children’s book about the refugee experience.

Charlene’s work reminds me that art doesn’t always have to shout to be powerful, it can whisper and still move something deep inside us.

 

Mindful Moments

I’ve been slowly reading the Conscious Grieving book as part of my grief process, and I came across a passage that felt too universal not to share.

“Although this is not a journey you sought for yourself, you are making your way. And while you can't always see very far ahead, with each step you take the path reveals itself a bit more. You are still unsure of where it is you are going and why you are even having to make this journey, but that's okay right now.

Put one foot in front of the other. You don't need to see too far ahead. Take your time. There is no rush because there is not an end point in sight. Don't let your stumbling stop you. We all stumble, and there are so many things to stumble on right now.

Stop and rest as often as you need to. Gather any resources you come across—some of them won't be as helpful as they appear. But try them on, nonetheless. Try on anger. Try on fear. Try on shame. But try on bravery too. And grace and hope.

There is nothing you need to do except keep putting one foot in front of the other. Let your path unfold as only it will. Grief is really just the love you have for your person. And they are walking alongside you even if you can't see them.”

This quote stopped me. Not just because it speaks to the experience of loss, but because it speaks to any hard season, any time we’re moving forward without clarity, certainty, or a clear destination.

If you’re in one of those seasons right now, I hope this reminds you: you don’t have to rush. You don’t have to know. You don’t even have to feel ready.

Just one foot. Then the next. That’s enough.

Thank You for Being Here

Thanks for being here, for letting me share the real parts, the studio messes, the soulful art finds, and the moments of deep reflection. If you want to see what else I’ve been working on or browse my latest prints, come say hi over on Instagram.

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