Collage of Curiosities No. 32

January 2026

The fogs of January stretch before me. A pearlescent gray veiling the island across the water like an awaiting bride. The melancholy cry of a loon cuts through, expressing what I cannot. It’s otherwise silent. The whole world around is waiting for some sign of what this new year will bring. 

I too am waiting. Desires and hopes written down, I’m taking my time reacquainting myself with the studio. Returning it to its sacred form of sanctuary. Candles have dwindled and replacements have yet to be procured. A prepped canvas awaits the first caress of a brush.

I’m not dithering, rather in the midst of a restoration. I’ve always found I work best in a cyclical nature. Periods of rest are equally as important, if not more so, than the sprints. This rest fuels the more high-octane energy. However, it’s not only in the moments when I can hear the wind whooshing past my ears in which progress is made.

The quieter times are when the real substance forms. Where the soul develops. Without such periods what I create might be beautiful, but vapid. Simply one more thing to consume and forget. That is not what I want for my work or my life.

I want to create work with staying power. Work that’s not just relevant to the here and now but can transcend time. That’s the only work that’s truly moving. It touches the soul and leaves a mark. Once experienced, it cannot be shaken as it’s a part of the being for eternity.

Scroll for the stories behind the photos.

Images taken in Apalachicola, Florida during a quick lunch stop on a trip east.

The chandelier at the entrance to the Cavalier hotel in Virginia Beach. I’m always inspired by old architecture and the interiors that rest within.

The beginnings of a painting inspired by the breakwaters along the coast and the specimens that cling to the barrier structures.

The beginning of a greeting card inspired by the Camellias blooming my garden right now.