Welcome to Field Notes

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Welcome.

If you're here, you're joining me at the beginning of something I've been dreaming about for a long time.

When I first started painting the Birdfolk, I thought I was simply making paintings. Then people started bringing them into their homes, and the stories began coming back to me. Someone would tell me they smile every morning when they walk past one. Someone else would say a Birdfolk reminded them of a family member, a friend, or even themselves. They started becoming companions in people's lives.

I've been sitting with those stories for years, wondering...

What if the Birdfolk weren't just paintings?

What if they could find their way into more of our everyday moments?

Arnold, Oil on Canvas 8x10"

That question has slowly grown into what you're seeing here.

The Correspondence Collection is the first step. There's something special about taking the time to send a handwritten note, and it felt like the perfect place to begin. From there, the ideas keep multiplying, and a world began. So far the world is just a website with a few offerings, but it's here, and we all start somewhere.

My love, Eric, and I are currently exploring how to preserve the original three Birdfolk sculptures through 3D scanning so they can become the master copies for future sculptures in new materials. We're dreaming about books and games that bring people together through curiosity, laughter, imagination, and meaningful conversation. I'm imagining everyday objects that become part of our homes—pieces that remind us to smile, stay curious, and enjoy being wonderfully human.

The truth is, I don't fully know where this is going yet.

I have a vision for the kind of world I want to build, that we want to build, but I'm also learning as I go. Some days it feels beautifully clear. Other days it feels like a giant puzzle with pieces I haven't found yet. And honestly, that's part of the adventure.

You might notice I say "we" from time to time. That's because Eric has jumped in beside me to help build this next chapter. As this has grown beyond my painting practice, it's become clear that bringing this vision to life is bigger than one person. Building it together has become one of the most meaningful parts of the journey. Even Kenzie (my bonus daughter) wants to help. She's 7, and full of ideas.

When I step back and look at all of this, what excites me most isn't adding more products to the world. It's creating more opportunities for curiosity. More reasons to laugh at ourselves. More reminders that the wonderfully awkward, imperfect, hopeful, contradictory parts of ourselves are often the very things that connect us.

If you've collected a painting, shared kind words, followed along from afar, or you're discovering the Birdfolk for the very first time, thank you for being here. This world wouldn't exist without you.

I'm so excited to see what we build together.