Fall has arrived, bringing with it a colorful blanket of leaves across my yard and neighborhood trees. Perhaps it's my New England upbringing, but this has always been my favorite season. This year, though, autumn feels different. I've started a new position as Content and Social Media Manager at the N.C. Arts Council, my husband has embarked on a career change, and our empty nest feels particularly quiet. Amid these transitions, I'm learning to slow down and savor the season's simple pleasures.

The crisp fall weather has proven perfect for my recent foray into plein air painting—the practice of painting outdoors from life, which comes with its own unique challenges and rewards. Thanks to a grant from the United Arts of Raleigh and Wake County (awarded before my Arts Council position), I recently debuted new plein air equipment at the Paint it Orange Plein Air Paint Out. The two paintings from this two-day event currently hang at Eno Mill at the Orange County Arts Commission through November. This painting, Autumn Road is inspired by the beautiful trees this year.

My indoor work continues to evolve as well. At Artspace's Fresh Preview exhibition, I showed July 8, 1978, Based on what appears to be a casual street photograph from 1970s New York, the painting captures a moment between two characters. Having it temporarily in my living room this past week has allowed me to study the subtle interplay of their expressions, watching them come alive on the panel.

Looking ahead, I'm excited to showcase two new pieces in the Artspace Member Show running through December. All the paintings in this exhibition are 12” x 12” which adds a nice uniformity to the show. I plan to go over to Artspace to take better photos of the two paintings I have hanging there, and I will post them when I do!

I am also overjoyed to participate in Boylan Heights ArtWalk again with new work, a focus on small originals, new prints and gifts. It is a favorite day for me where I reconnect with friends and enjoy a beautiful location and weather. If you are local to the area, I would love to see you at Boylan on December 8 from 12 pm to 5 pm. I don’t know my location yet, so keep an eye open for an update soon!