Return to the Studio
Over the past year, I’ve made a deliberate return to the studio—both physically and creatively. After years of working at speed, this season became about slowing down and reconnecting with the fundamentals of making: paint, paper, brush, and time. I wanted to feel the work again in my hands, to let ideas emerge through repetition and presence rather than urgency.
Much of this return has been rooted in process. I spent long stretches painting by hand, rebuilding muscle memory and allowing intuition to lead before thinking about outcome or application. Alongside that, I revisited Adobe Illustrator with fresh focus, relearning and refining the technical skills needed to translate hand-painted artwork into production-ready surface pattern design. Completing my Immersion Surface Pattern Design certification helped bring structure and clarity to this work—bridging the space between expressive art-making and disciplined execution.
Equally important was stepping outside the studio. I spent time wandering through museums, antique markets, and vintage shops, studying decorative fragments, textiles, and objects shaped by history. These environments offer a quiet education: the way motifs repeat across cultures, how ornament carries meaning, and how beauty endures through craft. I collect these impressions not to replicate them, but to reinterpret their spirit—pulling forward what still feels resonant and alive.
This return to the studio has reshaped how I approach my work today. New collections are grounded in a balance of intuition and intention—where painterly expression, technical precision, and historic reference coexist. It feels less like a reset and more like a realignment, setting a thoughtful foundation for the work moving forward.
As this new chapter takes shape, the studio is very much in motion. Looking ahead to 2026, I’m continuing to develop new collections, explore collaborative opportunities, and expand the ways this work can live in partnership with brands and creative teams. The focus remains on thoughtful growth—allowing the work to evolve organically while staying rooted in craft, story, and intention.
XOXO
