How It Started

Seven years ago. It was February 2018. I don’t remember everything that was happening in the world, what I do remember is that it felt heavy, very heavy. I felt like the world was so Angry, and as I write this, I can’t help but notice the similarities in today’s world (but that’s not what I intended to write about). I remember all of these big feelings building up inside of me, and I remember not knowing how to get them out. my art had never been a way to process anger and sadness, typically a way to process and attempt to contain and keep joy.

February, seven years ago, was like all the rest. Fridged, the chance of snow, Girl Scout cookies, hearts everywhere, as if we’d even have a chance to forget Valentine’s Day. I’ve always been a classic hopeless romantic, I’m a sucker for all of the cheesy romcoms. BUT I’m also not interested in grand public gestures, so I was looking forward to our Valentine’s tradition of homemade sushi and champagne in my cozy sweatpants.

Valentine’s Day 2018 was the Parkland Shooting. I don’t believe there was any home that did not feel that weight. My Husband is a teacher, our home was extra quiet that night. I had planned to be a teacher and went through college with that plan, life doesn’t go as planned. The amount of pain that comes with every school shooting is excruciating and I expect it is for everyone. This one was my cracking point and I needed and wanted to do more to remind people that there is love in the world. Even if it is only between two people. Maybe if we were all a little more hopelessly romantic the world would be a little bit better. It is hard to explain how this all started because it feels so heavy and tangled… but maybe the tangle is really a braid.

As a way to spread love, any kind of love, I sat down and drew out our story. Sometimes, the easiest place for inspiration is our own lives. I drew out the moments in our life, the ones people ask about, “so how did you meet?” such a big question for an often little moment. It’s not always a perfect, adorable meet-cute. BUT in my opinion, it is ALWAYS a perfect and adorable meet-cute.

I drew out the moments, posted them on the internet, and asked people to be a part of the series. The goal: one painting each week. A free gift of a personal moment of love to send out into the world. Every Saturday, I would share the piece along with the story. Initially, I called it Sappy Saturdays.

I did not manage to keep it going every week for a full year, but like all things it has an ebb and flow. It seems like every February, new life comes into this series. There are a few wonderful collectors who have commissioned pieces to document special moments in their lives. I am honored to be able to create these for people.

Seven years ago, I stopped containing this idea and let it burst out of me. In seven years, this series has grown into so much more than I could have imagined. I changed the name to Memorable Moments. It felt more grown up and broader (insert shrug emoji), I started charging for them (after all, they take a minimum of 4 hours), and I just finished the 70th piece. In seven years, the people in these paintings have gotten married, broken up, had babies, and traveled the world. After all seven years is a long time and a blink of an eye.

Someday, I plan to create a coffee table book with all of these stories in it, but for whatever reason, I have convinced myself that I don’t want to do that until I hit 100 pieces.

Tomorrow I will, yet again, breathe new life into my Sappy Saturday Series and begin to share them again, here. Starting from the beginning. Every Saturday, tune in for a wonderful moment of love.

See you tomorrow!

PS: As I wrote this, part of it felt like a Dear John letter to my series. Currently, I have no desire to end this series, merely trying to give it space to grow in whatever direction it takes.