I began what I now call meditation painting in the summer 2003 when I was a student in Guanajuato, Mexico. A few years ago I came across a scrap of paper where I painted part of a mountain during that summer abroad. Though the little watercolor wasn’t anything worth displaying, I was instantly transported to the moment it was made. I can vividly remember the strong winds, the little boys running and the indigenous women selling their textiles. The following year I took this method with me as I traveled through Europe and with each little, unremarkable painting I deepened my connection to the moments in which they were painted.

Years later, studying ecological design that taught me to look at nature as a teacher rather than something to be dominated, I used this method to converse with the wild spaces of local nature centers. I felt guilty at first because the encounters were so joyful and “unproductive.” And yet, there was something important there that kept calling me back. The lessons I learn in this ongoing practice inform my art and influence almost all aspects of my life.

To learn this practice yourself, join me on our final nature painting session this month at Quinta Mazatlan in McAllen, Tx. See details below.