Blog
The Push and the Pull of THIS Season – an invitation
This time of year always feels like an exhale to me. The days grow shorter, the light softens, and everything in nature begins to slow down. And yet, culturally, this season often asks the opposite of us. [...]
Layering for Luminosity: A Guide to Glazing Watercolor
Title Illustration Watercolor Painting Canada Goose by Maike Walbretch Painting involves more than literal representation; it requires a deliberate structural framework, or composition and design, to organize and express the artist's unique impressions and reactions, building upon the [...]
Why Draw from Nature? The Deeper Roots of Observational Drawing
On the surface, drawing a leaf, shell, or seed pod might seem like a simple creative exercise — a pleasant way to fill a sketchbook page. But beneath the act of putting pencil to paper lies something [...]
🎨 Art, Mindfulness & Brain Power: Why Creative Practice (at any age) Matters Now
When Art Works! Michigan published “Art Works! to Develop Flexible and Other Kinds of Thinking” in 2016, we explored how making art builds flexibility, resilience, and adaptive thinking. Today, the case for creativity is even stronger—thanks to new research [...]
Memory, Healing & the Art-Making Process: How Creativity Supports Long-Term Recall and Inner Integration
A Reflection, Revisited - A Note from the Studio (2026) I am returning to this piece because the theme it explores feels both universal and timely. As I cross another personal threshold—turning 66—and look back over five decades [...]
The Art and Therapy of Needle Felting: A Historical and Practical Guide
Needle felting, an increasingly popular craft, is both an artistic and instrinsically therapeutic practice. Rooted in a rich history and beloved for its calming benefits, needle felting is a unique way to express creativity while nurturing mental well-being. [...]