Hello, it’s been a while! I moved to Raleigh late last year, and diving back into my art world here has been an exciting adventure. For the Christmas season, I got to paint Trees on Broad for the Fuquay-Varina Administration, and I also participated in my first art exhibit show at Pancakes & Booze.
It was such a wonderful experience painting the beautiful Christmas trees scattered throughout Downtown Fuquay. There was something special about capturing those moments live — the lights, the energy, the people passing by. If you’d like to see the finished piece, it’s now available for auction here: Check it Out!
The finished painting shows the Varina Station storefronts along Broad Street decked out for the season, with painted Christmas trees lining the sidewalk in front of the brick building. I set up my easel right outside the Aviator SmokeHouse, working through the cold while people stopped to watch and chat as the piece came together.
Painting on location like this has become one of my favorite ways to connect with a community that welcomed me during my first holiday season in the area, and Trees on Broad felt like a fitting way to say thank you to Fuquay-Varina.
What a way to kick off the year. I had my very first art exhibit show, and the experience was genuinely lovely. Standing in a room where my work was on display — where people paused, looked, and connected with something I created — felt surreal in the best possible way. It was one of those quiet, affirming moments that reminds you you’re on the right path.
The exhibit space was filled with artwork from dozens of local artists, and it was incredible to see my paintings hanging alongside so much other creative work. I’ve shared a short video walkthrough of the show below so you can see what opening night looked like. It’s moments like these that remind me why I love being part of the art world, and I can’t wait to see where this next chapter takes me.
Video description: This is a short, music-only clip (1 minute 44 seconds, no spoken dialogue) showing highlights from opening night, including setting up my display and meeting other artists and guests at the show.
