There is a specific kind of silence that follows a great loss. It isn’t a peaceful silence; it’s a heavy, grey fog that settles over everything you once loved. When my late husband passed away, I didn’t just lose a partner; I lost my palette. The vibrant teals of the Laguna Beach shoreline and the deep, mossy greens of the trails I loved suddenly felt muted, as if the world had been stripped of its saturation.
For a long time, I sat in that grey. But as a Laguna Beach artist, I’ve learned that while we cannot always control the storm, we can choose how we move through the aftermath. I didn’t find a brush during those dark days; I found a lifeline in the pouring process. I realized that sometimes, to heal, you have to let go of the “tools” of control and just let the color flow.
The Fluid – “Circle of Life”
Healing isn’t a straight line. When my fiancé passed away years later, I found myself back in the studio, but I couldn’t bring myself to “paint” in the traditional sense. The idea of a rigid brush felt too restrictive for the vastness of what I was feeling. Instead, I picked up a sponge and began working with fluid acrylics.
I started moving in wide, sweeping, circular motions: round and round. There was no “grip” on a brush; it was just my hand, the sponge, and the rhythmic release of pigment. This was the birth of my work, “Circle of Life.” It brought me full circle because the pouring process requires a certain level of surrender. You pour the paint, you tilt the canvas, and you watch the colors collide and merge—much like the way grief and joy eventually learn to live in the same heart.
The Pepper tree and Truly Pizza
I’ve always been drawn to the “roughness” of nature, and this tree was a masterpiece of texture. I had to stop. I had to lean in. If you’ve ever hugged a Pepper Tree, you know it’s a full-sensory experience. The bark is shaggy and gnarled, a complex map of ridges that felt like a landscape under my fingertips. And then, there’s the scent—that sharp, spicy, evergreen perfume that wakes up the senses and clears a “busy mind” instantly.
In that moment, between the rough bark and the distant smell of wood-fired pizza, I felt a total “click” of presence. I wasn’t overthinking the past; I was just there. In my studio, I try to translate that “Pepper Tree” energy. When I use my sponges, I’m looking for that same organic grit. I want the surface of my modern abstract art to have a history and a texture that invites you to feel.
The studio isn’t the only place I find inspiration; sometimes it’s on the path between nature and a good meal. While waiting for our favorite artisan pies in Dana Point, I found myself captivated by a massive, magnificent Pepper Tree—a reminder of the sturdy, grounded energy I try to capture in my work.
Now, the best news for my Laguna neighbors: Truly Pizza is officially open in Laguna Beach! I recently spent a beautiful afternoon there with my friends Trina and Coco. If you go, you must try the Pizzetti—it’s the perfect thin, crispy precursor to the main pizza. Mark your calendars for their Grand Opening celebration on Thursday, May 7th. There’s no better way to celebrate the ‘Wild Loop’ of life than with the best pizza in town.
When the studio feels too small for the weight of my thoughts, I head outdoors. I am a firm believer in the healing power of the wild, and I take a very “natural” approach: I am a proud tree-hugger. Recently, I was on a gorgeous residential path in Dana Point with a friend, waiting for our favorite pizza from Truly to be ready. That’s when I saw it—a massive, magnificent Pepper Tree.
Tuning the Soul: The Vibration of the Sound Bath
Sophie is performing a sound bath with crystal singing bowls. Soft lighting illuminates the circular bowls, connecting the healing power of sound to the themes of ‘The Wild Loop’ and personal transformation.
But color and touch alone aren’t my only healers. Recently, I’ve been exploring the world of sound. I had an amazing session with a healer named Sophie in Dana Point, and something clicked: my abstract art is essentially a “visual sound bath.” Sound bath experience with Sophie!
When Sophie plays the crystal bowls, you don’t just hear the music; you feel the vibration in the very center of your being. It’s a literal washing away of the “busy mind” I was struggling with earlier today. In fact, I felt so safe and grounded that I did something I didn’t expect: I fell into such a deep, restorative sleep that I actually started snoring! I even woke myself up with the sound of it. It was such a funny, vulnerable moment, but I’m so grateful my friend was there and just let me rest. It was the ultimate proof that my body was finally ready to exhale.
I have met a few sound bath healers now, and I am so grateful that Laguna Beach and our surrounding coastal communities are such magnets for healers. They enter my life exactly when the frequency needs to shift. Just as a sound bath uses resonance to harmonize the body, I use fluid acrylics to harmonize a room. When I let the teals and ambers merge on a canvas, I am trying to paint the way that deep, snoring-level peace feels. I want my art to be a permanent, visual “hum” on your wall—a constant reminder to stay tuned to your own joy.
Writing: The New Palette and the Power of the Pause
Recently, I’ve discovered another avenue for my soul: writing. While color has always been my friend—whether dark or vibrant—I realized that putting it down helped me release something deep inside. Writing personal stories from my life has become the “map” to my colors. If the fluid pouring process is the “shout” of my emotions, then writing is the quiet, steady “conversation” with my history.
But I am also learning the most important lesson of all: to take a pause when I need it.
Today, my mind was busy. I was overthinking the “depth” of this very story, trying to force the layers before they were ready to be seen. I’ve realized that the best thing I can do for myself in those moments is to step across the street, look at the Pacific, and just be.
I headed down to Picnic Beach, and the weather was nothing short of perfect. The tide rushing over my feet anchors me. Watching the Spring Break energy on the beach reminds me to stay present and playful.
Even Sally got in on the action. She came running out of the water to bring me a “candle stick” she’d found.
“She cleans the ocean, one piece of plastic at a time. Seeing her purposeful care made my own world feel quiet and still.”
In the “negative space” of a pause like that, the next color always finds its way to the surface. This is the best thing I can do for me right now—learning to let the mind rest so the soul can speak.
Why the World Needs “Healing Art” Today
In 2026, we are over-stimulated by screens and under-nourished by nature. This is why I am so passionate about Art for Hospitality and Art and Healing.
Whether it’s a luxury hotel lobby or a healthcare sanctuary, the art on the walls shouldn’t just “fill space.” It should be Visual Oxygen. A traveler doesn’t need a painting that demands an intellectual answer; they need a space to breathe.
Using sponges and pouring techniques, I create a biophilic experience. I bring the ocean’s flow and the forest’s breath into your indoor space. Because I have sat in the dark, I know exactly how to paint the light that helps you find your way out.
The Shoreline: My Constant Collaborator
Living in Laguna Beach is my daily reset. The ocean is the ultimate “Circle of Life.” It retreats, and it returns. It erases the markings on the sand every single day, giving us a literal clean slate.
“I bottle Laguna’s salt air through teals and ambers. One look, and you’ll feel the same connection I find barefoot at Victoria Beach.”
A Call to Joy
If you are currently in a season of “grey,” I want you to know that color is waiting for you. Healing is a radical act of joy. It’s a stubborn refusal to stay in the fog.
As a Laguna Beach artist, my mission is to turn my personal “Full Circle” moments into a sanctuary for yours. We don’t need to stay stuck in the shadows.
“Find the color, the sound, and the rhythm that allows life to flow again.”