I am excited to announce that my new online store went live today! This has been a long process, and a lot of work, but thanks to Shopify, I can now offer original works of art and fine art prints online for purchase. Please feel free to visit my new store by clicking the link above, or continue reading for more 2026 updates.
A special thank you belongs to all of my followers and supporters, as this would not have been possible without you! I have been greatly encouraged over the last year with new followers on my Instagram page, customers visiting my various market booths, and of course friends and family. Other artists have also been kind enough to share their knowledge, experiences, and words of encouragement, which is an honor to me. Thank you!
2026 Art on the Coast
Many of you know that the Art on the Coast market show, in Brookings, OR, is one of my favorite shows of the year. This show benefits CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates). As someone myself who went through very difficult things as a child, I am proud to support and advocate for kids whenever the opportunity arises!
This year, as always, the organizers, customers, and other vendors were all amazing! The weather, on the other hand, was a bit less cooperative, which presented many unforeseen challenges. With wind gusts as strong as 30 to 40 knots, unfortunately my art booth sustained some damage, and many of us had to pack up early for safety reasons. To the few customers who patroned my booth during the chaos of things crashing, and me trying to physically hold my tent down: I am so sorry, and thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kindness and offers to help!
Though there was some sadness in losing a few valued art pieces and a damaged-beyond-repair market tent, what I want to share from it is not despair. Instead, my heart is filled with gratitude to my family, and a solid hope in a God who sees us through the wildest storms life can throw our way!
In hindsight, this event was hardly the worst of trials, as there were good things that happened too. Connections were made, and my family was there to support me when I need them most.
The conversation I had with my mom afterwards has still been on my mind. When many trials (big or small) seem to keep coming with no relief in sight, it can be hard to shake the feeling that, "God isn't blessing me!"
"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." -Psalm 34:18
There was a time in my life when I had virtually no real coping skills, so a minor setback like this absolutely would have sent me down an emotional spiral. My lifeline this time around was my faith; setting my focus on Jesus to lead me through the circumstance, rather than hyper-focusing on the circumstance itself (plus being blessed with a super wise and supportive momma!). When tensions were high, the compassion of Christ challenged me to be mindful of how I responded and inspired me to choose grace. I can't say I did this perfectly, but knowing how far Christ has grown my character, it could have been worse, and I walked away from it as a learning experience instead of a total disaster.
"Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint." -Isaiah 40:31
We still enjoyed a lovely family beach vacation out of it, and the scenery did not disappoint for the Southern Oregon Coast! I came home with such a wealth of reference photos for new paintings that I couldn't possibly hope to have enough time to paint them all (an artist can try though!). A special thank you to my wonderful husband, for entertaining the kids during my show, and dropping everything (more than once) to come rescue me from the winds (love you honey)!
New Artwork Debuts!
Thank you for reading and for checking out my artwork. Have a blessed day!
