Let's Meet in the Middle

I had my very first holiday market of the season recently, and let me tell you, nothing prepares you for the moment when a whole crowd of people walks by your artwork all at once. You suddenly get this unfiltered, real-time feedback loop. Some comments make you laugh, some make you think, and some just stick with you. I’m used to creating in the quiet of my studio. It’s just me, my paints, whatever music (or silence) I’m in the mood for. So to suddenly have a crowd move through and comment on my work still makes me feel a bit vulnerable, even after all these years. But it's truly wonderful, too.

What I heard over and over on this particular day was this simple line:

“This artwork just makes you smile whenever you look at it.”

I don’t think the people who said it realized how much I needed to hear that. Because as simple as it sounds, it’s kind of everything I hope my work does. And right now with all the noise and busyness of the holidays creeping closer, along with the lists, the expectations, the “don’t forget to…” we sometimes forget how much those tiny moments of happiness matter. This time of year has a way of speeding up in a way that doesn’t always feel magical. For some people, the season is cozy and sparkly and full of anticipation. For others, it can feel heavy, stressful, or lonely. For many of us it’s a complicated mix of both: joy and pressure holding hands in a way that can feel like a lot.

That’s part of why I’m sharing my newest painting, Let’s Meet in the Middle. It features a grizzly bear perched on a high tree branch, looking up at a bluebird in flight. The bear’s expression is full of awe; calm, almost childlike, like he’s seeing something wonderful and unexpected, perhaps for the first time. And the bluebird is looking right back, as if to say, “I'm so happy you're here!” To me, the two of them feel like a beautiful, intimate moment tucked into a busy world; one of those moments that makes you smile just because. The kind you don’t plan, but you’re grateful to catch.

Let's Meet in the Middle

As we move into the holiday season, I think it’s more important than ever to surround ourselves with things, people, and moments that help us feel anchored. Not because they fix everything, but because they offer a place for our hearts to rest, breathe, and remember that not every part of life needs to be big or grand or perfectly curated. Sometimes the most healing thing is something that simply reminds you: I'm here, and this moment is enough.

If this time of year brings you joy, I’m so glad that it does. And if it brings you stress, anxiety, grief, or just a sense of emotional heaviness, please know you’re not alone in that. Many of us carry more than we show. Maybe that’s why I’m drawn to the quiet exchange between my bear and bluebird friends; they meet each other halfway, even though they come from totally different worlds. There’s no pressure, no expectation, just presence. If this painting can offer you even a small version of that, then it’s doing what I hoped for.

Here’s to cherishing the things that lift us up. The tiny reminders and small joys that help us meet ourselves (and others) in the middle, exactly where we are.

I’m currently mounting the original to a cradle board, and while doing so, intend to remind myself of those things as well. If this piece speaks to you and you’d like to welcome a little of its softness into your own space, I do have prints available on my website.