It all started at a stoplight…
Nearly eight years ago, I had just dropped one of our children off at soccer practice and found myself sitting at a red light, lost in thought about how fast they were growing up — how quickly time was slipping by. And then, out of nowhere, a butterfly drifted across my windshield. It fluttered and danced in that unhurried way butterflies do, completely unbothered by the world rushing around it.
Something about that moment stopped me.
At the time, I had been painting cactus scenes in oil — desert landscapes with flowering blooms. But that little butterfly planted a seed, and before long I made the transition to butterfly paintings. It was a natural shift.
Over time, oil gave way to watercolor. Partly it was practical decision — no more toxic fumes, no more lengthy cleanup. But the real reason? Watercolor let me go deeper. The layering of tiny details and being able to work quicker — I could capture things in watercolor I never could in oil. I was completely hooked.
And honestly? I still am.
