The space between the decision and the outcome, the actual transition from what was to what will be, is faith in motion. During this time, we can rest assured that while we work to maintain a narrow path of alignment, our ego will rise up from the murky, shadowy waters of our subconscious and try to turn us around. Pull us down. Beg us to sit with it in it’s fear. It will scream “Go back! Retreat! This is way too scary and we could really get hurt! We’re not enough, we can’t, we mustn’t!“ And then, the worst of them all… “WHAT WILL THEY SAY?”.

I used to see those cries from ego as a threat. Something to ignore, bury, or “fix”. Now, I see them as a gift. The fear that they bring forth is a red thread connected to an old story that needs to be released. My job is to follow that thread back to it’s origin, and love the version of me that I find there. For my latest collection “Transitions”, I worked directly with my inner teenager.

She is whip smart and creative in ways that amaze me. She sees the bigger picture, and everything seems to come naturally to her. She tries new things, makes new friends, and isn’t afraid to put herself out there over and over again, no matter the outcome. And, she has a righteous streak that runs a mile wide. This girl, for the first time in her life, is aware of the injustices in the world and questions EVERYTHING. She feels the pressure to succeed in a way pleasing to her family of origin, and the longing to be truly and authentically FREE from their “rules”.  She is the one at the end of the red thread, tugging at my heart, fearful, looking to be seen. She is the genius behind this creation, and this creation set her free.

This body of work was created during my own life transition, while listing my home for sale. As strangers roamed it’s halls, deciding if they liked it enough to make it their own, I retreated the studio with the kitties and the puppies and painted. The color, the meditative practice, and the time alone was transformative for me. Just me and my inner teenager, working through our fears and writing our new stories in bright, bold color. I love her with a depth now that I could never have mustered then. And I honor her, her fiery wisdom, and her bold authenticity in these Transitions.