Summer 2025 Studio Updates
“The Peace Within”, 18x24”, watercolor
43rd Annual Juried Exhibit for the Watercolor Society of Indiana
Hanging in the Indianapolis Museum of Art September/October
It’s been a while so I thought I’d catch everyone up on things over here in the Studio this summer.
I’ve been unveiling my “Underwater Series” over on my social media this season. I’ve been working on it for over a year, but thought I’d wait to roll it out until the weather was warmer. I’ve gotten a really good reception on it so far, and for that I’m grateful. Three of the pieces are hanging in a show called “Poolside Gossip” at Cafe Oztara (affiliated with the Damien Center) here in Indianapolis.
I also just got word that, “The Peace Within” (pictured), just got accepted into the 43rd Annual Juried Exhibit for the Watercolor Society of Indiana. This is the fourth year in a row that I’ve been juried in, and honestly getting that acceptance letter never gets old, and I am flabbergasted each time a different judge sees the beauty in what I do. The show hangs at The Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields during the months of September and October. What a cool feeling!
I also recently found out that I will be published in CREATE! Magazine for their Lightness of Being issue. This is my first publication, so I’m extremely excited about it and will have more information soon.
Some of you may know that I live with an extremely painful disease that affects my joints and my autonomic nervous system . It makes living in this world challenging in so many ways. I found that being in water relieves some of the pain, and the gentle rocking of my body in the water seems to soothe my nervous system. Last year I wanted to encapsulate that in a painting, so I set about getting some reference photos as inspiration. I was even able to get a few of myself.
I’ve been painting flowers and botanicals for so long (still am!) that I knew painting water was going to be a new challenge for me. I also thought it would be cool to do an underwater series with such a fluid water-based medium like watercolor. I practiced quite a bit in my watercolor sketchbook and once I felt like I got the hang of it, I started on bigger paper. Technique aside, I fell in love with the way sunlight reflects on and through the water. I became mesmerized by how the reflection of the body was distorted in the reflection of the water and all of the different meanings one can glean from the symbolism of it.
My son and I took a trip to the Indiana Dunes a couple summers ago (I had never been!) and I took my sister there this summer. I realized that even though I’m landlocked in the Midwest, there is still a large body of water relatively close by that feels very much like the ocean. The older I get, the more I am drawn to the water; the relief it brings to my physical condition is better than any medicine that can be bottled.
This series has truly been a pleasure to work on and I’m so glad it’s resonating with some of you. I love learning new skills and can’t wait to build up on all of the things I’ve learned from doing this series. I’ve got some big ideas percolating for now!