Artist / Author Talk at K&K

Saturday, October 3rd, was such a wonderful evening at K&K Gallery! Sharing a little about my book writing journey and painting process was fun, which led to some good questions and discussion. The talk was followed by the opening reception of Figure & Form. Note: Hubby and I were able to make the drive down on Saturday morning, but I asked him to take me to Ross as soon as we arrived in Culver City. It was over 100 degrees and we didn’t anticipate the high temperatures, hence a new (sleeveless!) denim dress for the occasion :)

Here are a few highlights from the talk…

There is a painting that hangs in my studio with the words “Here and Now” collaged onto it, as a reminder to remain present. Created back in 2012, while living abroad, this painting helped kick-start my journey to becoming a full-time painter. Find out more about the story behind it in my upcoming book, releasing in April of 2027!

A question that was asked: How have you balanced your time with painting and writing? I have had to set aside chunks of time to get in the headspace for either writing or painting. But I’ve been able to find pockets of time to dedicate to each. Some months I haven’t gotten much writing done while working towards painting deadlines. Other months writing has taken priority. When I first committed to writing this book back in January of 2025, I was a little uncertain how it would affect my painting practice. Amazingly, this writing project has helped generate some new ideas and brought fresh energy to my paintings in a way I didn’t anticipate. I’m excited about the progress in both areas — God is good!

“Thank you for sharing about your painting and writing journey and the impact your travels in China have had on both! It was so great to hear how your writing process has influenced your painting process in such an inspiring way.” - Krista Tsvetkov, Owner of K&K Gallery

Lastly, I passed around the book cover art, which you can see by clicking the button below!