Curated

Bubble Blower

Creative, fun, joyful

My parents divorced when I was very young, and I sometimes think about how I got to experience two different ways of curating life. For instance, with dad, you could tear open the bag of chips in the car before you left the grocery store parking lot, take a big whiff, and dig in. At Mum’s, you could have a portioned bowl of chips on Friday and Saturday nights or a handful on your plate next to your sandwich.

Shortly before Easter, my mum would boil eggs and wrap them in newspaper. My stepdad would hide them in the yard while they were still warm. He’d come in the house and excitedly tell us he just saw the Easter Bunny, and we needed to get outside right away before we missed him! Of course, we never did catch him. We would hunt for all the warm eggs, then come back inside to dye and decorate them. It felt so joyful and cozy. 

Casual Place Setting

Intentional, fancy

Even before my dad became a chef, he was always cooking something for dinner when my brother and I were there. I remember the sounds of the metal blade sharpening across the honing steel (I just looked that up; it’s the sharpening rod in your butcher block!),and veggies chopped quickly on the cutting board. My stepmom set the table with matching dishes, cups, silverware, and napkins, music played, and the windows were open. We would eat outside, and sometimes my dad would put a TV through the kitchen window so we could watch it on the deck. It felt so intentional and fancy.

To curate something means to thoughtfully select and arrange experiences with purpose and care.

While staying open to spontaneity, I’ve lately been wondering what it would look like to curate my everyday life with intention and discernment. How might I show up differently for my husband, my kids, my work, and my art if I thought first about how I want them to feel? What small choices could bring more joy, coziness, and beauty into an ordinary day?

There are many ways to experience life: taking even a moment today to decide how you want tomorrow to feel can be the beginning of a pretty sweet one.

Lastly, I am so grateful to all the collectors who have chosen to purchase my art at fairs, online, and during the 25 Days of Minis online show (which is still going on until December 25th!). I am honored to be a part of all of your curated art collections, and I hope the work brings joy, coziness, intentionality, and a little fancy to your life!