And then we rise.

Some people believe holding on and hanging in there are signs of great strength.
However, there are times when it takes much more strength to know when to let go and then do it.
(A. Landers)

And it hurts.

And it burns.



And then we rise.

On Painting

If you could say it in words,
there would be no reason to paint.
Edward Hopper

I want to paint more. This wanting struggles with the questions I frequently ask myself ... like ... "Who am I to paint so much? Who do I think I am?"

I've been more of a facilitator of art than an an artist, I know. And when I get positive feedback about my facilitation, it feels more natural to accept. But when I get positive feedback about my art, I have a hard time really believing it and accepting it.

Most of the time, the reason I paint is to get my internal angst and tumult out of me. Believe it or not, I have a ton of it. Feelings that are hard to express in words ... not that I don't try to do so ... as my friends will attest. I do talk and let as much out to those closest to me. But even with that, there are feelings that at times ache to be expressed through paint. And when they do, when I allow myself the time and space to do so and I have music that is meant to be listened to as I do this, I feel most alive and the release is quite wonderful. As Denise Sharp puts it in her story, art in many ways is nothing short of vital. Indeed, it is my life line (especially these days) and key to survival.

What I feel can be whispered. It can be shouted. It can be screamed. Then whipered again.

  That's why I paint. And as I go through the self-doubt of whether I deserve to paint more, a small collection of painted works has started to grow.

Carving Thanks, Not Potato.

감사 means "thanks" in Korean.
Not to be confused with 감자, which means "potato."

So I used a dark graphite pencil to write 감사 on a piece of vellum (any paper will do).

Flipped it over and rubbed the back side so the image could transfer onto the rubber. Then I carved the strokes that make up the word. The effect is that the negative space of the word gets inked rather than the actual strokes that make up the word. Make sense?


Love the sweet little stamp cause it gives you lots of ways to react to it for art-making. I also like that the negative space that gets inked and stamped kind of looks like a potato. :)

Carving Swords and Gloves

Thought I'd show you the fun I've been having as I continue to carve more rubber. I've been interested in sword fighting. Not real fighting but just the moves involved with it. In particular, I'm interested in Japanese sword fighting. Mainly because I've been inspired by a fitness instructor in my life named Lynn who has these amazing sword moves that she teaches. Amazing.

Anyway ... here's my first carved sword. A little bit wonky, right? But as I was explaining to a friend recently, the great thing about carving rubber is that sometimes, it becomes wonky. And that's a good thing. It makes the process and end result unique and memorable. Unique.
On guard.

And here's my wonky pair of boxing gloves.
So imperfectly wonderful, right?
Gloves on.

On Risks

Do you watch the show, Chopped?
I do.
It's like my favorite show right now. I watch it whenver I get the chance, which is pretty frequently because it's on a lot!

Whenever the contestants open the mystery basket and they are confronted with items that people normally do not know how to handle, I'm ever impressed with those who know how to handle them. It's sexy, quite frankly, when a person doesn't squirm or flinch or hesitate with whatever is before them ... from jumbo squid to frog legs, nopales to habaneros ... but rather takes command of the kitchen and the ingredients to make art happen.

One thing that is always on my mind about this show is how the judges value those who take risks. They are constantly saying it, right? "You played it safe by going the safe route and making the predictable bread pudding ... or the pot pie ... or the (fill in the blank)." It's when contestants take the road less traveled and truly invent, truly innovate, and truly take risks to make something unimaginably fantastic rather than imaginabley good.

When contestants go on this untraveled road, I start biting my nails. Will they make it in time? Will the sauce reduce in time? Will the souffle rise in time? Shouldn't they have just played it safe? Is it worth the risks that they are taking? What if their efforts are met with unexpected calamity?

And of course sometimes, the risk-takers do fail. Flat on their faces. Their dishes don't work. The inventive combinations of spices don't come together. The cake doesn't rise. The sauce burns. And unfairly, the ones with less imagination and less courage and frequently less skill ... who play it safe end up stay on for another round as the one who took the risks gets chopped. It's a tragedy.

But then of course there are plenty of times when the risk-takers do become victorious. Eveyrthing comes together beautifully, and the judges' palates are ever impressed with what they experience.

. . . .

So with art ... and with life.

I always wonder ... am I playing it safe? Or am I being bold and taking risks?
These are questiions contantly on my mind. I want to invent. I want to innovate. I want to experience something unimaginable. Even if that means that at times, I fall flat on my face.

I think about Frida Kahlo. She was consumed with taking risks and living out loud, with passion, and without hesitation. To say the least. And arguably, her approach lead to a lot of hurt and pain. Oh, but the brilliance of her work, her art, her life.

Rubber Carving and Doodling Tutorial

The thing I love about carving rubber is that even when you carve popular images and shapes, no one will have the exact same stamp as yours, because each piece of handcarved rubber has its own unique characteristics.

Like the single raindrop. I love the shape. And my carved raindrop is something I use all the time.

You can do so much with it ... like rows and rows of red drops all pointed in one direction.
Or three columns of black drops with some pointing up and some pointing down to create a different pattern.

And then clusters of brown drops that look like flowers.

Add some doodling and they are over-the-top fabulous.


Same thing with the popular hexagon shape. Such a popular shape these days, right? So carve yourself one, two, or three in sizes small to large and you can make these shapes your very own.

Experiment with them and see what they can do!
And as always ... add doodling to bring them to life.


The details of carving rubber are explained thoroughly in my new book, Stamp It!, which is availalbe here. Happy carving, stamping, and doodling. :)

Doodled Rocks with Washi Tape Tutorial DIY

Thought I'd show you what I've been making lately ... with rocks, washi tape, and a white gel pen. Washi is really the leader, as I just stick rocks with pieces of washi that I like and then react to the washi on the rocks with a white gel pen by adding little doodles and marks.

For the one below, I cut the thicker washi with the fun chevron patterin in half lengthwise and let the pattern in the tape guide the entire design.
Gift toppers. Paper weights. Favors. Hostess gifts.

Rock on. :)

Studio Explorations :: Practice. Play. Persevere.

Practice. Play. Persevere.

Brown sandwich bags stamped, lettered (with sumi ink),
and embellished with washi tape and sheet music.

Studio Explorations :: I Have Loved

I have loved you for 1,000 years.
And I will love you for 1,000 more.

Studio Explorations :: The Color Orange and Other Things

I finished this painting several days ago and am finally finding the chance to share it.

It had actually started out so differently when I started it way back when ... this past summer, actually. It had been laying around ... as I looked at how literal it was and how I wanted to find a way to make it less so.

It was definitely influenced by this book I made, and some other things going on in my head ...

... like the color orange, poker chips, hexagons, love, friendship, timing, the concept of freedom, and other things.