Hi! Thank you for being here, dearies! I am so happy to be following my dharma, my purpose. Listening to my heart's desires has led me to where I am now. I’ll never forget how this journey started back in 2021. I was sharing my love for nature in the form of photos online when I stumbled upon this wonderful community of nature lovers who share the same passion! I was particularly inspired by BIPOC nature enthusiasts and scientists advocating for birding and wildlife to be enjoyed by all! My pictures were taken in Ray’s Bird Lounge, an assortment of bird feeders, and a squirrel picnic bar in our front yard to welcome all the cute critters and winged friends.
I intended to have a place to rest and relax, bring joy to my little family, and give the neighbors something neat to pass by! I also had some uninvited visitors, including mama bear and her cubs, who came to either knock down the squirrel picnic bar or took a nap under the tree. We have a bedroom that faces a tree in our front yard where all kinds of fascinating creatures appear throughout the year. I feel so honored whenever I can identify a new bird coming to visit my feeder. I think I need a shirt that says, “Easily distracted by birds (and many other critters).” I loved looking through my photos to view the precious and silly moments I captured on camera. I felt this calling to begin painting what I was charging.
My first painting was a chickadee on a mini canvas. I was so shocked to see how much love was shared by friends and family, and the painting seemed to just fly away to its new home the day I shared it on social media! I think many of us can relate to nature. You observe the personalities of each critter and furry friend. Some can be a little more demanding than others when the feeder needs a refill. Some are very social and ready to greet you, while others are a bit more shy. I always have a good laugh when I’m observing wildlife. You’ll always be surprised by all the joy they bring you! You may have noticed that my little “mascot” is a squirrel. We had one particular squirrel that would come every morning to the squirrel bar lounge to snatch all of the peanuts before anyone else could. The squirrel began standing by the window with the most precious grin to request another dine-in service. My partner captured a photo of the squirrel, and we couldn’t stop chuckling at the cuteness and precious pose. How could we not feed this cutie pie?! I painted this squirrel, and the painting made its merry way to its new home. It was hard to realize just how much joy, love, and light I was sharing because I was so wrapped up in the joy of painting!
I started painting mini adventures inspired by groups of the critters I’ve met at one time or another here in Asheville, NC. My imagination runs wild as I paint. My art is done free-handedly with no sketches and no detailed plan. I just go with the flow! I follow my intuition as I paint. I don’t know how they will turn out until about midway through, so it’s just as exciting for me when I see all of my wild imagination come together in a finished piece! I love seeing my partner’s reactions during the entire process. He’s just as surprised as I am when he sees intuitive flow, in the beginning, shaping itself into a lovely little story about the wonderful nature we experience in our yard and on our hikes! The finished product is a textured, touchable piece created from my dabbing technique with a paintbrush. The texture gives the painting so much more personality, and perhaps petting your furry animal will bring you closer to the meaning you feel when you see it. More on my technique and that stronger connection to nature later… I can’t believe how far I’ve come and how many folks have reciprocated the joy and inspiration I hope to share through Little Ray of Light Design, and it all started from listening to the desires of my heart and soul. Your support brings me closer to my dream of being a full-time artist.
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