Iceberg Summer

I have a new painting up on Etsy. I have finally put the last brushstrokes on it and sealed it up with varnish (truly, an adventure when it's too hot to properly ventilate your studio).

Long, hot, Arizona summers inspire a wistful longing for cold climates. This painting was prompted by a trip I was planning to Iceland and my daydreams about all the adventures I would have there. Iceland did not disappoint — it's a strikingly beautiful and magical country. I guess it is fitting that I finished it in the dead of summer when I was once again daydreaming about escaping somewhere cold!

This summer has been one excessive heat warning after another. I would gladly trade that for a day bundled up in a parka and wool tights. Give me snow, give me rain, I would enjoy it all!

I would gladly go back to Iceland. Anytime. It was a great adventure. If you are thinking of visiting the country, check out my post on what to bring. I read a lot of blogs and articles in preparation for the trip and there was still a lot I learned from my experience. My post includes some of the things that were lifesavers there (wool tights!!) and also some things that I wish I had.

Anyway, check out my painting on Etsy here. I'll have prints available soon too.

Planning a Fall Trip to Iceland: What You Need

I was immensely lucky this year to be able to travel to Europe and visit ethereal Iceland, along with a couple of other destinations. I had no idea what to expect from Iceland but I knew I had to have the right gear to have the best experience. I did loads of research before my trip, read lots of essentials lists, and planned accordingly. After returning, I found that some of the items and tips worked, some didn't, and some failed miserably. I wanted to share some of these lessons learned and hope that you too can have a wonderful time in that magical country.






First off, I was visiting in late October. So I knew it would be cold. Coming from the desert southwest meant that I had to get a lot of cold-weather gear pretty quickly. Luckily, summer is a good time to buy the previous year's discounted winter wear! I also had to be really cost-conscious since getting to Europe isn't cheap and buying an entire winter wardrobe for the trip wouldn't be quite feasible. So I did a lot of deal hunting online.

Here is a list of my top essentials for fall travel to Iceland:

#1 — Merino Wool.

Merino wool everything. Merino wool is magical! Not only is it superior in warmth to a lot of the synthetic fabrics available, but it is also naturally breathable, moisture wicking, warm-even-when-wet AND odor-resistant. That came in handy when I was on my third straight day of wearing my favorite merino wool baselayer tights by Icebreaker. Ok, fine, fourth!

These Icebreaker tights were amazing. They are super thin, smooth (not itchy at all!) and crazy warm without being too hot. With just a thin pair of water-resistant hiking pants over these, I hiked through windy and rainy valleys, stood at the base of roaring icy waterfalls and stared in awe at the shore of an iceberg lagoon — always toasty warm. I loved these so much that I wished I had more pairs. I had also purchased some synthetic tights by Hot Chillys, that were supposed to keep as warm but they had nothing on the merino wool pair. The only time I wore the synthetic tights in Reykjavik my legs were cold and I could feel the wind through them and kept wishing I had opted to wear my Icebreakers for an extra day.

I also ordered 5 pairs of wool socks since I was planning on doing a lot of hiking. I got a mix of lightweight socks and thicker mid-weight hiking socks, which I saved for the coldest days. These were a real lifesaver and I've switched to hiking in only wool socks, even in the desert at home. There are a lot of great brands for wool hiking socks. I ended up with a few Woolrichs and some by Smartwool. They are a little pricey, even when they are discounted, but they are worth it. My latest favorite pair is by Keen. I got them for about $6 but they have a lifetime warranty. Similar versions can be found online.

#2 — Yes, You Should Bring Waterproof Pants

I had a hard time finding waterproof pants that looked good and didn't cost a fortune. You should just get the cheapest pair of overpants waterproofs you can find. Something like these White Sierra waterproof pants would work great! I had this exact pair and it did the trick.



These have snaps at the bottom to tighten up around your ankle so water doesn't come into your shoes and they unsnap so you can more easily fit your hiking boot through when you are pulling them up over your clothing when you are faced with a sudden rain shower.

These worked pretty well when I was able to change in the car on my way to see a waterfall, but made for some difficult balancing when I had to put them on during a hike. If you anticipate a lot of hiking, I would recommend pants that have a zipper that goes higher up so they are easier to take on and off on the trail. Balancing in the mud to get these suckers on can be tricky.

#3 — Waterproof Cell Phone Pouch

You definitely should get a waterproof pouch to keep your phone safe from water.

This is something that I wanted to get but never got around to ordering in time and I totally regretted it! Iceland is the land of waterfalls and hot springs. Every time I pulled my phone out when I was standing in the spray of a waterfall, or floating in a hot pool, I just hoped I wouldn't accidentally destroy it. Not to mention, I only got one photo at the Blue Lagoon because I didn't want to risk my phone or camera, which was too bad because that was one of the coolest looking places I visited.

#4 — Comfortable Hiking Pants

I think technical hiking gear is the way to go when traveling, even if you aren't hiking very much, because the clothing always has great features that are useful when you are on the road: moisture wicking, breathable, odor-resistant, wrinkle-free. I brought the thin water-resistant Columbia hiking pants that are my go-to for hiking in the desert. I was worried these wouldn't be warm enough but when paired with merino wool tights, they were perfect. They also made for a good option on long drives because they are so lightweight and comfortable.

#4 — If You Rent a Car, Opt for the MiFi

Access to the internet for maps, dining options, sightseeing ideas and of course, sharing photos on social media was pretty essential when traveling across the remote stretches of the country. It was nice to have a lifeline to the outside world when I was driving through long stretches of countryside with nothing in sight for miles but the black sand and distant glaciers.

I hope these few tips help you have a great trip to Iceland!

in-progress: Travels North

This is a painting I started when I was planning a trip to Iceland. My head was full of images of icebergs and stark mossy landscapes. I love planning trips and discovering the beauty in all the corners of the world. Plus there is nothing better to get you through a tough week than knowing you have an amazing vacation on the horizon.

There is also that dreamy idea you form of a place when you start learning about it. All the images you have seen and the things you have learned and all your excitement and anticipation mesh it into a sort of surreal magical idea of a place. I wanted to capture that for this painting.

More work to be done, but it is a good start. I need more icebergs and some other surprises maybe.

Update: Sunday Moor Walk

The painting is finished and available on Etsy. Voila!

Sunday Moor Walk

It's already September but still far from sweater weather in the desert. The rains we do get are furious and short, giving way to hot humid nights. I would take long drizzly days and cool foggy mornings over that any day.

The painting was done on a wood panel and has been varnished, meaning that it is protected for all time from dirt and dust. 

You can see it on my Etsy site here!

in progress

Current work in progress. I wasn't too crazy about it until I added the cats and changed her heeled shoes to wellies. Digging it now. Still a bit of work to go but it's feeling closer to finished.




The painting was inspired by Lake District travel research. Fell-walking. Foggy moors. Jane Austen. Autumn. I am hoping to go in the fall this year. I always seem to end up on cold weather vacations. I like rain and fog when I travel. Boots and sweaters. It's a novelty, coming from the desert.

Lovely photo by Luke Addison on flickr.


I love this photograph by Alan Cleaver on flickr. 

Etsy Shop Now Open!

I am now selling prints and original oil paintings on Etsy. My studio wall is getting a bit crowded with paintings so I am hoping to find new homes for them. Visit my shop here.

from the past

Here is a project from the past. I used to do show posters every once in a while for local bands. This is a background image I created for one. The photography is my own.

A) The original photo, b) is the adjusted photo. I was playing around with a tilt-shift effect. And c) is the final with a lomo effect. I love photoshop.

wild inspiration

Just a few artists and designers that inspire me.

1. Christina Hart :: Atlas of Remote Islands, 2. Lulie Wallace :: , 3. Louise Wright :: via Drawn to Minerva, 4. Paul Sheaffer :: via Society 6.

something finished

I decided that since I will be posting a lot of half-finished works I should post something that is completed too. That way I can feel like there are a few more paintings in the done pile and I can demonstrate that, yes, I can finish these projects. Going on like this makes it sound like I don't finish anything, but truly, I do. Mostly I keep a project alive when I have no deadline and I can experiment and push it a little bit farther. I have a painting I'm working on now that is very close to completion and I've decided that what it really needs is some wax — something I've never worked with — because I want elements of the painting to have a subdued and washed-out look. I also find it hard sometimes to get in the mind-frame of painting. Going from my day job as a graphic designer I sometimes find myself sitting in front of my painting thinking in Photoshop keyboard shortcuts "command + z, command +z!!" Maybe that's also a sign that I spend too much time in front of computers.

Anyway, here is a completed painting from last year. It was commissioned by my husband for some album artwork (for his folksy acoustic band). I made the support myself — it's 4 ft by 2 ft mahogany with a pine cradle — a project in and of itself. Since it was just for my husband, the handiwork is a little less than stellar in the construction of the frame. It was a learning experience. When I do commissioned work I order the best materials and frankly, it's not really worth the headache for me to build up the whole support from scratch just because of the time it takes and my carpentry well...leaves some to be desired. It is really sturdy though and I worked on it for a couple of weeks before I started painting: building, sanding, prepping. It was a long process. It's now hanging in my husband's jam space since we didn't really have anywhere else to hang it and I would probably sell it but for much less than I would normally for a painting of this size because of the above reasons.

I finished this one rather quickly because I did have a deadline so there are some things I would have fixed had I had more time.

in progress: in the garden

This is a painting I started just before the holidays. I have some more work to do but it's shaping up nicely. I like how the blonde is turning out and how the dark and lush greenery behind the women adds some mystery. My husband says it's creepy and that's why he likes it. I am happy with that. I like paintings with a little unease or mystery about them. That, or something playful or unexpected.

I taped up the edges because I wanted to do a white or color border around the edges, reminiscent of the edges of an old photograph. I think it will frame the painting nicely. This was painted with oil on cradled wood panel and the color of the border on the front will extend to the sides as well. I have some work to do on the redhead...her face is looking a little lumpy, but it should be done soon.

I'll be sure to post pics as soon as something is actually finished. :)

in progress: pierogi

This is a painting I just started so I am the most excited about it. The style is more illustrative and playful than what I normally do so it's a bit of an exploration. I wanted to include elements from Polish decorative pottery and some fun elements such as the pierogi dancing above the pot. This is just the underpainting with color blocked in for composition/layout but I am liking it so far. It is 6x6 inches on cradled wood panel.

nine works in progress...oh my

I currently have 9 paintings that are actively in progress (I'm ignoring the others, tucked in closets or hung half-finished) so I have created this site to keep me working and creating. I'm terribly good at starting something and never finishing it. It's hard when you don't have real deadlines — I paint for my own enjoyment — so there is no set time to finish a project. That said, I would like to paint more, explore more and try new styles and methods. So, here I am, posting to the world, in an effort to keep myself accountable and hopefully more prolific.

Off to paint!