Spring is springing in the studio! “Beside & All Around & Way Deep Down” 24x36 inches, “Wilder Kind of Love” 36x36 inches.
As artists, we mostly create in solitude, not knowing where our work will land or how it will be received. The moment of creation feels complete when the last brushstroke is laid, the final detail is placed. But that’s just the beginning. Our art takes on a life of its own, slipping into spaces we may never see, becoming part of someone else’s world in ways we could never imagine.
Lately, as the world tilts a little sideways, it’s easy to feel powerless—to wonder if what we do really matters. But I’ve come to realize that one of the most important things we can do is to keep creating. To make beauty, to love that beauty, and to send it out into the world to do its quiet and mighty work.
I need you to understand that the energy you pour into your work doesn’t stop at the edges of a canvas. It moves outward, settling into homes, into hearts, into places and beautiful moments you’ll never witness. It’s easy to underestimate the power of it, but that quiet, intentional energy we pour into our craft is palpable. And that painting that may feel like "just another piece” to you might become a cherished family heirloom, or a beacon of hope for someone at times when they need it the most.
And it’s not just about art. It’s the small things too. A kind word, a smile in the supermarket, a moment of acceptance and patience when someone needs it most—these acts carry ripples. These too, have the power to shift the course of a moment in ways so profound that we’ll never see.
And isn’t that why we create? To connect. To ripple.
So please, let’s keep making. Trust that our work will find its way. You may never fully see its impact, but know that what you create today—whether it’s a painting, a gesture, or a simple act of kindness—might become someone’s constant tomorrow. We may not be able to fix everything, but we can send beauty into the world. We can send ripples. And those ripples make waves.
Thank you to those who’ve shared your stories with me. You remind me that art is alive, that it moves and grows just like we do. That is no small thing.
Love, Laura.
Consider joining me on one of my painting retreats! This season we’re here in Victoria, on Salt Spring Island and in Sicily. Absolutely no painting experience necessary. If you’d like more information, here’s the link: LAURA HARRIS RETREATS
