It’s the Vernal Equinox! Spring is officially here, and for me, it is the time of year when I truly begin to feel alive again.

Winter can be harder on me than most. Even here in Northern California, the lack of light affects me emotionally. As the days lengthen, I feel a surge of energy; I begin to feel like myself again. Some might say spring comes early here, or that we don't really have a "true" winter, but those first blooms on the almond trees always signal a new cycle of regeneration and growth.

The world feels overwhelming right now. We see wars waged with unclear objectives that seem to cause far more destruction than they could ever justify. We see people being taken from their homes, not just the "worst of the worst," but innocent individuals caught in systems motivated by profit, racism, and rage. People are being labeled as criminals for civil offenses as minor as unpaid traffic tickets.

Then, there is the current assault on our environment. Protections for our natural resources are being stripped away in the name of profit, as if we won’t

I often work intuitively, creating first and "solving the mystery" of what I’ve done later. As I was finishing my recent series of rose pieces, I decided to title them based on the traditional meanings of their colors. I recalled the “Language of Flowers,” a tradition rooted in antiquity but made famous during the Victorian era.

Using these meanings felt fitting. My work is always a

I have always believed that arts education isn’t just about mastering a technical skill or "making pretty things." It is about learning how to see the world.

While writing is a beautiful art form, visual art allows us to express things that words simply cannot reach. This belief is exactly why I am an art educator myself, and why I’ve chosen to donate my work to Blue Line Arts for their annual Lottery for the Arts fundraiser.

Over the past few years, I have developed a small obsession, or perhaps "fascination" is the better word. It started simply enough: I began noticing black butterflies dancing along my usual walking trails. At first, there were just a few, but soon I was seeing them everywhere. They were striking, and I felt a pull to know more about them.

After a little investigation…