About three years ago, I received a direct message that sparked an incredible journey. Ginny Dickinson had recommended me to create a shell fireplace for someone. My first thoughts were: "Me? Ginny? A fireplace?" I'd never done a fireplace before, but my creative brain was instantly on fire with ideas. Unfortunately, a few weeks later, Hurricane Ian hit Sanibel Island, and my client's home was badly damaged, so the project was postponed. Fast forward to the end of 2023, I finally met with my client in person. Let's call her Terri, because that's her name. Terri showed me some images of what ..read more

As a child, I would daydream daily about faraway destinations. What would it feel like to swim in the ocean, stand under the Christ the Redeemer statue, live on a tropical island, or see the northern lights? I had a powerful desire to leave my small town and explore the world. One memory that has stuck with me is walking to school at 7 am on a dark winter morning. It was cold, and there was snow on the road. My Discman was playing all the nineties tunes (yes, I'm forever grateful for anti-wrinkle creams). As I trudged to class for descriptive geometry, all I could think of was wanting to l ..read more

Have you ever wondered if you were born to be something specific? For me, the idea of being an artist has always lingered in the back of my mind. Creating and exploring the unknown have been passions of mine since I can remember. However, unlike some people who know from a young age what they want to be, I wasn't one of them. I believe this is partly due to the schooling system, which often silences the artist within us. In school, we're taught to follow authority, take good notes, and repeat what we've learned to the teacher. This approach hardly encourages creativity. My mom always gave me t ..read more

Art tends to be a very personal decision, and it's a matter of personal taste above all else. A work of art needs to speak to you, move you, make you dream, inspire you every day. You need to feel it and fall in love with it. I can only hope that you fall in love with my shellscapes, but why not go on to explore other works by different artists, and in the end, you can always come back to your first love. I will be here when you are ready. Your first love may not be (they are selling fast). But jokes aside, look up emerging artists near you. If there is an art show in your city, just go! Expl ..read more

As a child, I would daydream daily about faraway destinations. What would it feel like to swim in the ocean, stand under the Christ De Redeemer statue, live on a tropical island, or see the northern lights? I had a powerful desire to leave my small town and explore the world. The one memory that has stuck with me is walking to school at 7 am on a dark winter morning, it was cold, and there was snow on the road. My Discman was playing all the nineties tunes (yeap, I know, thankful for anti-wrinkle creams forever). As I was walking to school to attend a class of descriptive geometry, all I coul ..read more

At the beginning of May, I visited the Ringling Museum in Sarasota. At first, I was hesitant, thinking it would be a vast circus display, but we spent just over four hours on the grounds, to my surprise. The garden is spectacular, with beautiful sea views and banyan trees reminding me of Vizcaya Gardens in Miami. Established in 1927 as the legacy of Mable Burton Ringling and John Ringling for the people of Florida, it's the official state art museum. The museum features 21 galleries of European paintings, Cypriot antiquities, and Asian, American, and contemporary art. The art museum is located ..read more

I was surprised to find out Savannah was such a charming city. I was stunned as soon as we arrived. It could be because we stayed at the Olde Harbor Inn, a riverfront hotel built in 1892 with unique vintage architectural details. Top that with cobblestone streets and canopies of moss-covered oak trees, I was mainly speechless as I tried to take it all in. The hotel was lovely, the room was spacious, the location was perfect, and the staff was accommodating. When the bell boy said there was ice cream in the freezer for us, it gave me serious warm fuzzies. When I visit somewhere new, I love wal ..read more

Was I born to be an artist? Possibly. I have always been passionate about creating and love exploring the unknown. Some people know very young what they want to be, but I wasn't one of them. I think it's because the artist within me was silenced by the schooling system, where I've been taught to follow authority, take good notes, and repeat what I learned to the teacher—hardly an encouragement to be creative. Also, my drawing skills were not as good as some of the other kids at school, so I assumed I was not good enough to become an artist. My parents never pushed me to pursue any career, and ..read more

The Salvador Dali museum in St. Petersburg is one of my favorite places in Florida, and I admire the art of the Spanish genius. It's a small museum, but the collection is world-class—a great chance to see how Dali's paintings evolved. I could be wandering around for hours in this museum. The Lincoln in Dalivision always amazes me no matter how many times I see it. Once you enter the building, you are swept away by the spiraling concrete staircase and the specially designed windows. The upper level offers beautiful views of the St. Pete Bay area, and it's also where you will find the exhibitio ..read more

Glad you asked! There is actually a range where you should hang your art. If you are looking for a quick answer, it's about 57-60 inches from the floor and the center of your art. The biggest mistake I see people make is hanging art too high, but the sweet spot is at eye level. What if you have 20-foot ceilings? The rule stays the same, and the magic number is 60". Of course, there are exceptions to this rule. For example, if you are a family of really tall people, your eye level will be a couple of inches higher. Gallery wall? The same rule applies when working with several frames, the center ..read more