Six pieces, one day in the desert

Published about 18 hours ago • 1 min read

Dear Reader,

One thing I’m thinking about

Catherine and I took our first trip to Joshua Tree in early 2018, not long after we moved to California. I had always thought of the desert as a barren wasteland, a place I wanted to pass through to get to something better. Since that first trip, we have returned many times, camping in tents, being surprised by snow on the ground, and even watching a roadrunner hop on a fence just outside our Airbnb.

Turns out I was wrong about the desert. The six pieces I’m making right now are my attempt to show what I found instead.

The main thing

The desert I found wasn’t empty or barren. It was quiet, peaceful, and so full of strangely beautiful plants and animals that it’s become my singular obsession for many years.

The pieces I’m working on now are my attempt to recreate that soft, sun-bleached feeling. Warm, earthy linen fabrics block printed with some of my favorite desert characters: the jackrabbit, roadrunner, California quail, desert marigolds, Joshua trees, and the elusive kit fox.

They’ll hang together in a stairwell at Vroman’s, around Black Friday. I’ll share more as they come together.

Also lately

New video this week shows how to make a set of toast and toppings stamps from an eraser, a pencil, and a craft knife.

Hit reply and tell me about your first trip to the desert, or a place that changed your mind about somewhere. I read every one.

Warmly,

If you love my newsletter and other content and want to help support me here's a link to my Tip Jar.

Support from people like you helps me continue to do what I do, and it is much appreciated.

Block printing artist inspired by California's coastal and desert wildlife, building a creative business one carved block at a time — while working full-time as a book conservator. I share honest process, real lessons (including the ones that didn't go as planned), and behind-the-scenes updates from the studio, alongside new block printing videos every other week on YouTube.