After weeks of cutting, dyeing and suspending wool strands from walnut wood to create my Canvas With Movement® tapestries, I spent a couple days photographing each piece to present them to you, my collectors. “Photo shoot day” as I like to call it, is one of my favorite parts of the process in preparing a new collection. It allows me to look back on what I was thinking and how I was feeling as I created the collective.

This month, I see a theme conveyed through my art and I wonder if you will see it too.  

Oftentimes, we overthink what and how inspiration arrives. As an artist, I am guilty of this trap. This collection however, I simply allowed my hands to take over and gave my mind a break. It is 100 degrees in the studio right now, and so I focused on survival. Not to be dramatic, but even with portable air conditioning units pumping in the studio, we are lucky if we feel air below 95 degrees during the month of July. That creates opportunity for heat exhaustion and dehydration, if we aren’t careful. 

I’m blessed to be surrounded by a team of hardworking, flexible and supportive people who never complain about the heat and smile when I propose an ice cold Topo Chico break after lunch. Together, we are making the best out of our 100-degree garage studio and with such positive attitudes, I believe we are launching the greatest collection of work so far. 

With this month’s mentality of embracing the heat and allowing my hands to work without expectations, I saw the art create itself. I literally could not force anything in this collection. Due to the extreme temperatures, I needed to relax, allow the summer heat to invade my mind and then freestyle without restrictions. I had to trust creative instincts and let the process take over without dictating or controlling the art. This month, the art came alive without me forcing any pre-planned designs. 

The theme I saw on “Photo Shoot Day” after photographing the collection was that by allowing the process to be the inspiration and enjoying that more than the product, I was able to allow each Canvas With Movement® piece come alive on its own. This art in this month’s collection is full of freedom, exploration and positivity. Without force or control, the pieces in my July Collection have come together among the heat of the summer and I cannot wait for you take a look and see how I embraced the elements and allowed my creative instincts to take over.