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For those of you who know me, you may find this hard to believe…. I am an introvert. Are you kidding me? Nope.

Here is my companion studio cat “SPLAT” doing what he does best….. sitting on my painting!

I am an only child of an only child. I never had children. I didn’t join clubs, go to the prom or spend much time socializing while growing up. I was and still for the most part am a loner. One of my favorite things to say was, “ The more people I meet….. the more I like my cat.”…. I should say….. cats! I spent and still spend most of my time with my head in a painting or researching the next art project by traveling or getting out locally. 

So when you I say I am shy and introverted, does it sound credible? Is the excitement in my voice and smile on my voice seem phony? Well I hope not because when I make art, I do it from the heart and with passion. You are were my comfort zone lies. You are a nature loving artist just like me. I feel comfortable talking to you about pinning and collecting insects. I know that you would stop to pick up a turtle in the middle of the road and get it safely from harms way too. I know there is nothing more you would like to do than be up to ears in glorious brushes filled with dripping gorgeous color.

I often feel a bit out of place when I am in a local setting, especially with people I don’t know. 28 years ago I feel in love with Costa Rica and all the abundance of flora and fauna it had to offer. I was teaching at the New York Botanical Garden and my students questioned me about the possibility of leading a tour there. I was open to it and ran my first tour in 1995 with 14 participants. I was scared as the group gathered wondering if we would all get along for the 10 days. Would people enjoy the itinerary? Would people get along? SO many thoughts ran through my head……. but then something magical happened! As we were walking along a path towards dinner, a woman spotted a big juicy caterpillar suspended upside down from a leaf in the shape of  the letter “J”. All 15 of us quietly approached the little guy and formed a circle around it. It was a giant Saturniid Moth in the beginning stages of pupating for transformation. There was silence but everyone’s eyes were wide open and full of wonder. This was the moment I knew these journeys were meant to be. We had formed a tribe! Each one of us left the dinner that night to check on the transformation and I believe we were the ones that were transformed too.

There is nothing like sharing your passion with others who feel the same as you do. It takes you out of your shell to rejoice in the beauty of nature. I like alone time for sure but I truly enjoy getting out in nature with like minded people who care about protecting the environment, learning and nurturing artistic skills and sharing stories of discovering the natural world.

Are you ready to travel with like minded artists? We would love to have you join us and what we can discover together. Last chance to save $250 by registering by August 1, 2019 for the Journey to Heart of Creativity in the Costa Rican Rainforest.