A year and a half ago, I said goodbye to my beloved Jordan’s Furniture family in Boston and hello to a new chapter down south — one filled with Spanish moss, suspiciously friendly strangers, and a paint-splattered easel. I retired, packed my bags (and brushes), and headed to South Carolina with my husband, Don, and our much-loved French Bulldog, Coco Chanel, to begin my second act as a visual artist.

You know those moments when life feels like a movie montage? Mine included a U-Haul, way too many cardboard boxes, and a GPS that clearly has a personal vendetta. But eventually, I arrived — greeted by the smell of jasmine and a whole new pace of life.

Now, if you’ve ever navigated a rotary in Massachusetts during rush hour, then congratulations: you have what it takes to drive in South Carolina. There are a lot of roundabouts here, and while no one quite knows how to use them, we’re all just out here doing our best. (Pro tip: just go. Seriously. Just go and let the universe sort it out.)

Here, people wave. At you. All the time. Doesn’t matter if they know you — they will smile, wave, and probably ask how your mama’s doing. At first, I thought I was being recruited into a friendly neighborhood cult, but nope — turns out they’re just… nice. Still not totally used to it, but I’m getting there.

As a plein air painter (which is fancy French for “it’s too nice to stay inside”), I set up my easel wherever inspiration strikes. Sometimes it’s a quiet marsh. Sometimes it’s the corner of a busy street. No matter where I go, people stop. They wave. They put down their phones. They talk. Not because they want to bother me, but because they’re curious, or kind, or maybe just looking for an excuse to slow down.

Some ask about buying my work. Some invite me to church. Some just want to know what I’m painting and why it looks a little like their cousin’s backyard. Either way, it reminds me why I picked up a brush in the first place — to connect, to express, and to be a part of something bigger.

So here I am. Still learning. Still laughing. Still occasionally missing my Jordan’s family and those god-awful Boston winters (kidding — mostly). But loving this journey and the people who pop into it along the way.

This is my first blog post on my brand new website, and I want to give a big thank you to the kind folks at FASO and Boldbrush for creating the easiest artist website design platform ever. Seriously — if you're an artist looking to get your work online, these guys make it effortless.

If you’ve ever thought about visiting the Lowcountry — or picking up a paintbrush — let this be your sign. The jasmine’s blooming. The breeze smells like summer. And someone, somewhere, is waving at you already.