What a day! A sunny Sunday at Château d’Orquevaux began with my morning coffee and exercise, followed by a long, leisurely walk around the grounds. I slowed down and paid attention to what was around me—the plants, the light, the little details that might otherwise go unnoticed. Along the way, I took four photos of plants that caught my eye.
Then came the next part of the process: sitting down with my thoughts and jotting down my ideas, emotions, and observations. Sketch. Color. And voilà! Four new Healing Gardens, #118 through #121, emerged. Each one is 4 x 6 inches, painted in acrylic on Yupo.
There is a process behind these paintings, but somehow, these feel different. When I travel, I often photograph flowers and plants along the way. Later, I scroll through my camera roll and choose something that inspires my next painting. Here at the residency, I seem to be doing no such thing. Instead, I go for a stroll, look around, and somehow inspiration finds me—right there, right then, just when I need it. These four little paintings have been such an experience.
And I am discovering that the writing is just as important as the painting. Putting my thoughts on paper makes me focus. It takes me deeper inside my own mind. Then, as I begin to work with my hands, something shifts. I slow down. I rest. I feel safe. And that, really, is what the Healing Garden series has always been about. A moment of paying attention. A moment of being present. A moment of creating a little place of safety and beauty.
And now, I get to experience all of this in a beautiful place, surrounded by nature—and accompanied by Dusty, the Château’s resident cat, who seems to have decided that being part of my creative journey. Scroll through the photos and follow along as these four little Healing Gardens come to life.
Then came the next part of the process: sitting down with my thoughts and jotting down my ideas, emotions, and observations. Sketch. Color. And voilà! Four new Healing Gardens, #118 through #121, emerged. Each one is 4 x 6 inches, painted in acrylic on Yupo.
There is a process behind these paintings, but somehow, these feel different. When I travel, I often photograph flowers and plants along the way. Later, I scroll through my camera roll and choose something that inspires my next painting. Here at the residency, I seem to be doing no such thing. Instead, I go for a stroll, look around, and somehow inspiration finds me—right there, right then, just when I need it. These four little paintings have been such an experience.
And I am discovering that the writing is just as important as the painting. Putting my thoughts on paper makes me focus. It takes me deeper inside my own mind. Then, as I begin to work with my hands, something shifts. I slow down. I rest. I feel safe. And that, really, is what the Healing Garden series has always been about. A moment of paying attention. A moment of being present. A moment of creating a little place of safety and beauty.
And now, I get to experience all of this in a beautiful place, surrounded by nature—and accompanied by Dusty, the Château’s resident cat, who seems to have decided that being part of my creative journey. Scroll through the photos and follow along as these four little Healing Gardens come to life.
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