AMONGST THE WILLOWS

Lately, life has felt really full.

There have been so many things competing for my attention that creating has often felt like something I simply didn’t have time for. And when I finally do have a little pocket of time, I’ve found myself staring at a blank canvas with absolutely no idea what to do with it. Artist’s block is something I’ve experienced pretty frequently, but lately it has felt especially frustrating. I wanted to create, but I couldn’t seem to get myself there.

Eventually, I decided to stop waiting for the perfect amount of time or the perfect idea.

I started thinking that maybe a little bit of creating was better than nothing at all. Maybe I didn’t need an entire afternoon in the studio. Maybe I just needed to pick up a brush and start layering something.

I’ve been really drawn to green and red lately, so I started there. I layered color without really knowing where it was going, letting the shapes develop naturally instead of trying to force the painting into something specific. Somewhere in the process, flowers began to emerge.

And eventually, Amongst the Willows came to life.

This piece is different from a lot of what I’ve created before. It’s softer, looser, more abstract, and much more floral than my usual work. There’s something about it that feels almost quiet to me. Like stepping away from everything for a moment and finding a little pocket of peace.

What makes me love this painting most, though, is what it represents.

I created it during a time when I felt stressed, overwhelmed, and disconnected from my creativity. I honestly wasn’t sure I had it in me to make something I would be proud of. And somehow, through all of that, I created something that feels beautiful and peaceful to me.

Maybe that’s what I love most about Amongst the Willows. It came from a season that didn’t feel particularly peaceful at all, yet somehow became something that feels like peace.

There’s something really special about creating beauty in the middle of the struggle, and I think that’s what this piece will always remind me of.