the long winter...

I must say I was prepared for the winter this time. It always feels so long and I am dreaming of swimming again by mid January—but this time, whilst in a pandemic—it feels that much longer. I’ve spent it working very long days in my studio and taking walks as much as the weather allows. These are some crazy times but I find that staying busy is key. Everything has changed! But there are always positives and I love the focus that this time brings. I’ve been writing some new books and working on the dummies. Sometimes I forget how much fun it is to just draw straight out of my head. I remember an editor telling me how she thought that must be so satisfying back when we met in the city to review a story idea. (It is!) But writing is painful. It is just so incredibly hard to get the pacing just so.

I still miss the city more than words could ever express, but we just need to get through this latest strain. My bus line is still shut down, so I may as well use this time to dig in (and out with all that snow!) The winter light is beautiful and the days are starting to get longer now. My watercolor book comes out in just a few weeks. I got an author copy in the mail and was surprised how big it was! I will have to write more about that on another post, but for now I am just wishing everyone peace and good health. I can’t wait to be with my friends again! Spring is coming!

Quarantine works goals

Hope all of you are safe and making the most of the stay at home orders. I’ve never been a fan of being a couch potato, so I have been spending my days in my sunny studio working on everything from new story ideas and sketching to continuing work on my upcoming art instruction book. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy taking a walk and taking advantage of the down time, but for me it is best to keep pursuing goals at this time. It keeps my mind occupied and gives me a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day. My teaching gig at the Museum is on hold (well everyone’s!) so I look at this time as an opportunity to really hunker down and focus. And I am still teaching—but just in book form for the time being. I’d really love to write more and with less distraction I hope some of the ideas can materialize on paper. And it seems less scary to keep my routine going versus succumb to 8 hours of CNN. I’ve been self employed for a LONG time. So, each day I wake, I make my little to-do list as I have for years and get cranking! Sharing this floral border I started for the book so that the designer can have a fun area to run some text inside. Keep creating everyone! We need to stay in for all the brave healthcare workers out there. We will get through this.