When the Stage Became Another Canvas
Following My Bliss from Professional Artist to Keynote Speaker

My journey as a professional artist began in college with a 59-cent tray of watercolors. I was very much an amateur, searching for a medium that might give voice to something stirring inside me. Watercolor became that medium. It opened my eyes to the remarkable beauty of North Carolina—an artist’s paradise of mountains, coastlines, farms, gardens, and historic places.

What began with that inexpensive tray of paint eventually carried me around the world, introduced me to extraordinary people, and placed my work in collections I could never have imagined.

Joseph Campbell encouraged us to “follow your bliss and don’t be afraid,” promising that doors would open where we never knew they existed. Looking back over nearly five decades, I understand those words more clearly today.

Follow the thread, not simply the path
Following your bliss does not mean choosing one path and remaining on it forever. It means recognizing the thread that has been running through your life all along—and having the courage to follow it when it leads somewhere new.

The path of my career has included traditional watercolor, contemporary acrylics, commissioned works, books, charitable projects, and now speaking. The mediums have changed, but the thread connecting them has remained constant: creating something meaningful that moves another person.

Allow your medium to change
Over the years, I have been inspired by magnificent creations from other artists and by the many ways they expressed their gifts. Some moved confidently among different mediums. Others used their work to celebrate important milestones, raise awareness, or support significant humanitarian causes.

Their example helped me understand that art can do far more than decorate a wall. It can preserve a story, awaken compassion, bring people together, and help someone see the world differently. Growth often requires us to loosen our grip on the familiar. The gift remains, but the way we share it may need to change.

Your bliss becomes more meaningful when it is shared
Eventually, my creative journey led me to an entirely different kind of canvas—the stage. Instead of relying solely on paint, brushes, color, and composition, I now use stories, humor, vulnerability, and lessons gathered through a lifetime of creating.

Speaking allows me to share not only what it has taken to become and remain a professional artist, but also something I believe applies to everyone: we each possess gifts and talents capable of making a difference.

We may not all stand before an easel, but we are all creating something—experiences, relationships, organizations, communities, and opportunities. The question is whether we are using what has been placed in our hands to leave the world a little better than we found it.

See Where The Journey Has Led Me

My new speaker reel offers a glimpse of what happens when my life as an artist meets my work as a storyteller:

Perhaps your association, company, conference, club, or community is planning an upcoming gathering. If your audience would benefit from an uplifting message about recognizing possibilities, navigating change, and using their gifts to make a difference, I would be honored to be part of it.

The stage may be a different canvas, but my purpose remains the same: to create something meaningful—and encourage others to do the same.