When I was growing up, my mom’s art studio was a special place. A professional illustrator, she worked as I busied myself in her kids section with Sculpey clay and pipe cleaners.

My mom had a seasonal side business. Every winter, she made hand-painted Christmas ornaments as gifts for clients, family, and friends.

We lived in New England, where Christmas is a big thing. To me, October-to-January was JingleBulb season as much as it was winter.

30+ years later, she still loves sitting in her studio. Making art. Learning things. Working out ideas. Tinkering and trying.

This studio is my way of building that for myself as I’m developing new creative muscles.

If you’re interested in seeing updates and posts about my art life, Instagram is the best place for that. If you’re in the shopping mood, here are holiday earrings I made that feature my mom’s original illustrations.