Coming Back to the Studio (and Why Pauses Are Part of the Work)
There’s a strange pressure in creative work to always be “on.” Always producing. Always posting. Always moving forward.
But real life doesn’t work like that — and neither does art.
Over the past couple of months, my studio was quieter than usual.
School holidays, family time, travel, life. The kind of pause that doesn’t mean stopping — just shifting focus for a while.
I spent part of that time back home in New Zealand, with family and friends. Christmas days that unfolded slowly. Road trips through the South Island. Camping, conversations, new places, familiar faces. Ordinary days filled with new experiences — the kind that gently settle into you.
Turns out, the best way to see a canvas clearly is to look at something else for a while. Finding a bit of stillness at Momorangi Bay.
And now I’m back.
What I’ve learned (and keep relearning) is that these pauses aren’t detours. They’re part of the work itself.
When I step away, I notice different colours. Different rhythms. I come back with fresher eyes and a clearer sense of what I want to explore next. The paintings that follow always carry something from that space in between — even if you can’t quite put your finger on it.
If you’re someone who’s been browsing my work quietly, returning to the same pieces, sitting with them for a while — that makes sense to me. Choosing an original artwork isn’t a quick decision. It’s a feeling that builds slowly, over time.
I don’t believe art needs urgency to matter.
Each piece on this site was made thoughtfully, in layers, with space to breathe. And just like the process of making them, discovering the right artwork for your home doesn’t need to be rushed either.
So this is simply a note to say: I’m here, the studio door is open again, and I’m continuing — calmly, honestly, and with a lot of care.
If you’ve been following along, quietly reading, saving, or returning — thank you. That kind of attention means more than you might realise.