#stjoseph #timber #wood #carpenter #catholicchurch #coronavirus #pray #christ #crucifixion #money #providing #fundraising March is the mont of St. Joseph in the Catholic Church and March 19 marks his glorious feast day. He’s the patron of the Church, the patron of laborers, of those dying, and a model for all those who would bring Christ into … More In Honor of Joseph

#architecture #brightenup #gargoyles …To brighten your day! This is one of many gargoyles leaping out of Loyola Hall, my present home, and one of the old Jesuit buildings on our historic campus. I painted him for one of our dear rectors as a farewell present. This is usually how he looks around midday. Do you … More A little Gargoyle …

#minihabits #naturejournal #illustrate #studiosessions #spring Sometimes what you love requires a sheer act of the will to show your love for the thing. If you love art, but just don’t feel in the mood to produce it, it’s hard to make yourself do anything. So when you force yourself to do it -“Discipline equals freedom” … More Bits and Pieces

#lent #becomingbetter #resolution #getafterit #getsome #bestiary #calligraphy Once again the Lenten season is upon us. It compliments the season, where many of us feel the urge to clean, organize, in hopes of the beautiful new life of spring. This picture, I thought, embodies that spirit. It was made originally as a tongue-in-cheek gift for the … More Embracing Conflict

#spreadjoy #sparkjoy #minihabits #artatcafes #qualitytime #relax #maketime #unlocktalent #lavitabella This week I’d like to share with you a few stories of other people who make time to do that which makes them feel more alive happy about life. This young man, Raphael, when he’s not doing weekly studio sessions with me, is always doing sketching … More The Fruits of Others

Nearly two months of drawing and painting every day for at least 10 minutes has snowballed into finishing a gift for my parents’ 33rd wedding anniversary. So here it is before it’s scanned for reproductions…the yellow gold encircles the whole picture -I just cut it off in the photo. See the slideshow to see the … More The Fruit of Mini Habits

Sometimes the everyday grind needs alternatives. The everyday grind can quickly land you into a rut. A dull and muddy one. But you want to keep your zesty edge, right? You need help to ensure you keep the habits, but also you need to detach and be rejuvenated as well. Or maybe you don’t have … More Toss Some Variety into That Habit

To persevere in one’s intentional habits is to walk the fine line between being a bulldozer just to get the job done, and of being constantly open to that quiet voice of inspiration. My deadline to finish this painting was last week. It wasn’t a commission, just a gift — sometimes more pressure than a … More Pillars Undone and Redone

Pace yourself! Take breaks! Haste makes waste! Ration your time! You know, if you barrel through, you’ll spend extra time undoing all that you tried hurry up and push through. And on Friday, that’s just what I did with the poor monk below. I kept working on him and ignored the little voice that said, … More Towers, Monks and Lessons Learned