January reflections

“Who is the horse who carried you through 2025?”

This question, posed in the end-of-year art challenge by the Paard Verzameld collective of equine artists, really got me thinking. I spent weeks reflecting on how my art practice changed this past year, where I was stretching, and how horses were actively part of that growth.

As many of you know, 2024 was a turning point in my art. After years of making work about horses from a distance—due to health and other challenges—I began life drawing horses while traveling the country in search of a place to land.

After finding home in mid-2025, I kept life drawing, but something shifted. Instead of constantly meeting new horses, I began spending time with the same ones, over and over. This has changed the work in important ways:

• I’m getting to know the horses more deeply, which has given me a more critical eye.
• I notice how they change over time, reminding me that a single image can’t hold everything that a collection can.
• I feel how connected they are to their land and surroundings, and the Earth is now entering the work more.
• We are building relationships, so there is more of me in the art. I’m not just capturing the horses, but our interactions.

Here, I have the privilege of not only drawing these horses live, but also sketch and photograph, then go home and ponder and paint, then return to them again to continue to develop ideas.

All this reflection culminated in “The horse who looks back” - a traditional Chinese brush painting that incorporates this edge I’m on, and tries to capture the power of that moment of connection - when I’m not just looking at a horse, and they’re not just looking at me, but they are choosing to join me.

This painting also marks where I am in my journey with Chinese brush painting, a medium I am planning to devote more energy to in 2026. I do my best to respect traditional methodology and materials in this incredible and rich artistic heritage. I made this process video over the weeks I worked on the piece so you could look over my shoulder at every step. Make my day and reply with a question about the process!

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Inspiration from a new creative community

My creative cozy vibe got a major boost this winter with the release of the Dear Equestrians Collective Coloring Book. Coloring was my earliest creative passion, and sitting down with this was like present-day me having an artist date with kid me. The coloring book, which features thoughtfully crafted portraits of 33 equestrians from around the world and their horse friends is accurately described as “A bridge between tradition and transformation, between where we’ve been and what’s possible.”

As if that wasn’t enough, Nica Quinn, creator of the coloring book, also opened a new creative online community, and the action there the past few weeks has been magical. People from around the world sharing their coloring pages, sharing tips about the best markers and coloring apps, posting photos of their crocheting and sketches and bookbinding projects and collages… I mean… It’s so sweet!

If this sounds like pure joy to you, too, I hope to see you there!

Welcoming in the Year of the Fire Horse!

The year of the horse in Chinese astrology begins on the lunar new year - February 17th! In anticipation and celebration, I'm offering 10% off all Chinese brush paintings of horses in my Etsy shop. I'll be adding more brush paintings (like the one above!) to the shop throughout the month.

Two opportunities to connect online this month

It would mean so much if you’d share these workshops with friends who may be interested! If you’ve been to one of my workshops before and had a great time, you’re more than welcome to join again, too! Each workshop is a bit different, with the same foundation of unraveling perfectionism and finding joy in presence with horses and playfulness with art.
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​Online: Spirit of the Horse – for Wellness:
Saturday, January 17, 2026, 3-5pm ET • $50
Feeling stressed, stuck, or overwhelmed? Treat yourself to a joyful and low-pressure experience, powered by the healing spirit of horses. No art experience required, no horse experience required—just an openness to explore and be inspired! This special session is co-hosted by Pregnant Mare Rescue and Beyond Liberty. You’ll meet sanctuary horses throughout the workshop, making it a beautiful way to get to know them better. A portion of every registration goes directly to support the rescue horses and their educational programs.

​Online: Spirit of the Horse – for Artists: ​
Saturday, January 31, 2026, 3-5pm ET • $45
Feeling stuck creatively or overwhelmed by your inner critic? This hands-on session is designed to help you reconnect with ease, curiosity, and joy. Whether horses are your usual subject or brand new to you, you’ll connect with horses in new and surprising ways! For both professional and hobby artists.