Can I tell you a secret? When I decided to dive back into painting after a long break (we’re talking years since I’d last squeezed out a tube of paint), I found myself paralyzed at the thought of using a canvas. I had this small stack of canvas boards stashed away, but I just couldn’t bring myself to use them. I was overwhelmed with anxiety about my skills (or lack thereof) and terrified of “wasting” good materials on what might turn out to be less-than-perfect experiments. But the itch to create became too strong to ignore.

This week was a tough one for me. I’ve been working really hard— and loving it! —on some new creative projects. Maybe it was too many late nights or not enough attention to my emotional well-being. On Thursday, I got a bit of a wake-up call. At first, I thought the bright spot in the corner of my vision was from staring at my computer screen too long. But after I took a computer break and the bright spot just kept growing, I knew this was something else. Why hello, migraine with an aura! 👋

Anyone else out there a recovering perfectionist? 

When I was sixteen, I was awarded a scholarship to attend a summer program at California College of the Arts for drawing and printmaking. This experience was a turning point in my creative journey, marking the first time I was encouraged to stop trying so hard. It wasn’t that the work required no effort—it demanded intense focus and presence of mind—but it was more about getting into that elusive “flow” state and embracing the unexpected. It’s the classic “90% preparation, 10% magic” equation.