WYANNE THOMPSON : Contemporary Abstract Artist -ATLANTA

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W Y A N N E

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Wyanne Thompson Contemporary Abstract Artist and Mentor

This one started as a leftover scrap…now it’s turning into something kinda magical. ✨ We buy raw canvas in big rolls, and when we (okay, let’s be real—@erikadanielleart 😆) stretches it, we sometimes end up with quirky cutoffs. They usually become paint testers or shelf protectors, but every now and then…a painting starts whispering. I listened. So here we go! 🌈👟

This one started as a leftover scrap…now it’s turning into something kinda magical. ✨ We buy raw canvas in big rolls, and when we (okay, let’s be real—@erikadanielleart 😆) stretches it, we sometimes end up with quirky cutoffs. They usually become paint testers or shelf protectors, but every now and then…a painting starts whispering. I listened. So here we go! 🌈👟

Sometimes the second painting in a commission ends up being just as meaningful as the first. 💙 This is “Graceful Strength” — the sister painting to “Graceful Power” — created as part of a special commission through @hillarywhitakergallery for a new healthcare facility opening soon in Florida. 💫
⁠
As with most commissions, I paint two different options unless something highly specific is requested. I’m not sure which one they’ll choose yet… maybe they should get both 💡😊

🖼 “Graceful Strength”
📐 48” x 48”
🎨 acrylic on raw unprimed canvas
💖 @hillarywhitakergallery

Sometimes the second painting in a commission ends up being just as meaningful as the first. 💙 This is “Graceful Strength” — the sister painting to “Graceful Power” — created as part of a special commission through @hillarywhitakergallery for a new healthcare facility opening soon in Florida. 💫
⁠
As with most commissions, I paint two different options unless something highly specific is requested. I’m not sure which one they’ll choose yet… maybe they should get both 💡😊

🖼 “Graceful Strength”
📐 48” x 48”
🎨 acrylic on raw unprimed canvas
💖 @hillarywhitakergallery

Coming down the home stretch on deadlines, commissions and a whole new body of work… even the puppos are getting excited! 🐾🎉 The energy in the studio is electric (and a little bit chaotic) — but this is my kind of magic. ✨ Final push! I got this! 💪🎨💕

Coming down the home stretch on deadlines, commissions and a whole new body of work… even the puppos are getting excited! 🐾🎉 The energy in the studio is electric (and a little bit chaotic) — but this is my kind of magic. ✨ Final push! I got this! 💪🎨💕

“She was powerful not because she wasn’t scared, but because she went on so strongly, despite the fear.” — Atticus 💙🌊✨

This is one of two commissions through @hillarywhitakergallery for the new healthcare facility opening in Florida 🌴
As with most commissions, I do two different paintings for the client to choose between — unless they’re wanting something very specific.
This one is called “Graceful Power” 💫
I’m not sure if it’s the one they will go with, but I’m super happy with it… and with its sister painting that I’ll post soon! 🎨🌈

“Graceful Power”
📐 48 x 48 in
🎨 acrylic on raw unprimed canvas
💖✨ @hillarywhitakergallery

“She was powerful not because she wasn’t scared, but because she went on so strongly, despite the fear.” — Atticus 💙🌊✨

This is one of two commissions through @hillarywhitakergallery for the new healthcare facility opening in Florida 🌴
As with most commissions, I do two different paintings for the client to choose between — unless they’re wanting something very specific.
This one is called “Graceful Power” 💫
I’m not sure if it’s the one they will go with, but I’m super happy with it… and with its sister painting that I’ll post soon! 🎨🌈

“Graceful Power”
📐 48 x 48 in
🎨 acrylic on raw unprimed canvas
💖✨ @hillarywhitakergallery

One from the archives… and still one of my favorites. 💫
Coming down the home stretch on deadlines 😅 and I can’t wait to post more soon. Time to hit the studio again! 🎨✨

One from the archives… and still one of my favorites. 💫
Coming down the home stretch on deadlines 😅 and I can’t wait to post more soon. Time to hit the studio again! 🎨✨

“Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.” — Dalai Lama ✨💛

"Kindness" is headed to its home in a new healthcare facility in Florida 🌿 I hope it brings a little joy or comfort to everyone who passes by �☮️

Big thanks to @hillarywhitakergallery for making this placement happen 🙏💕

"Kindness"
48 x 48
acrylic on raw unprimed canvas
SOLD 💖

“Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.” — Dalai Lama ✨💛

"Kindness" is headed to its home in a new healthcare facility in Florida 🌿 I hope it brings a little joy or comfort to everyone who passes by ☮️

Big thanks to @hillarywhitakergallery for making this placement happen 🙏💕

"Kindness"
48 x 48
acrylic on raw unprimed canvas
SOLD 💖

“The studio’s a mess, commissions are flying, and I haven’t posted in ages… but that’s just real life right
now. So many great things happening! 🎨💥 One painting at a time, and lots of matcha 🍵 and pup lovin’ 🐾 breaks in between.”

“The studio’s a mess, commissions are flying, and I haven’t posted in ages… but that’s just real life right
now. So many great things happening! 🎨💥 One painting at a time, and lots of matcha 🍵 and pup lovin’ 🐾 breaks in between.”

Just another day at the office 🎨👩‍🎨 I’ll never understand those artists who paint in nice clothes 👗 (or no clothes at all 😳😂). I have paint clothes or super nice (or at least I think so 😆) clothes—no in between!

This is me on a typical day looking like a hot mess 😅💥 Jewelry? 💎✨ Pretty much always. Another story for another day!

Back to work… lots of deadlines calling ⏰🖌️💫

Just another day at the office 🎨👩‍🎨 I’ll never understand those artists who paint in nice clothes 👗 (or no clothes at all 😳😂). I have paint clothes or super nice (or at least I think so 😆) clothes—no in between!

This is me on a typical day looking like a hot mess 😅💥 Jewelry? 💎✨ Pretty much always. Another story for another day!

Back to work… lots of deadlines calling ⏰🖌️💫

Throwback to what was supposed to be a dreamy painting trip to the Bahamas in 2021. I had packed up my priciest raw Belgian linen, determined to create something beautiful by the sea. But the universe had other plans… Rain, ants, and more mosquitos than I thought possible (I’m semi-allergic 😬) made it feel more like a disaster than a dream.

I did sneak in a little paddleboarding—something I really, really wasn’t supposed to do with a feeding tube. But I was careful. And the crystal-clear water, filled with fish, made it 100% worth it. 🐠🌊 For someone who keeps a dozen aquariums at home, it was an unforgettable treat.

When I got home, I tucked the canvas away, convinced it was ruined. Months later in 2022, I unrolled it and realized the rain had left the most beautiful staining. I built the entire painting around that accidental magic.

Sometimes what seems like a mess is actually the beginning of magic. ✨

Japanese Vases
acrylic + pigments on raw unprimed Belgian linen
60 x 72 in
SOLD 🩵 thank you @dkcontemporarygallery

Throwback to what was supposed to be a dreamy painting trip to the Bahamas in 2021. I had packed up my priciest raw Belgian linen, determined to create something beautiful by the sea. But the universe had other plans… Rain, ants, and more mosquitos than I thought possible (I’m semi-allergic 😬) made it feel more like a disaster than a dream.

I did sneak in a little paddleboarding—something I really, really wasn’t supposed to do with a feeding tube. But I was careful. And the crystal-clear water, filled with fish, made it 100% worth it. 🐠🌊 For someone who keeps a dozen aquariums at home, it was an unforgettable treat.

When I got home, I tucked the canvas away, convinced it was ruined. Months later in 2022, I unrolled it and realized the rain had left the most beautiful staining. I built the entire painting around that accidental magic.

Sometimes what seems like a mess is actually the beginning of magic. ✨

Japanese Vases
acrylic + pigments on raw unprimed Belgian linen
60 x 72 in
SOLD 🩵 thank you @dkcontemporarygallery

The love and support from my recent post about going out alone with a speech impairment truly meant the world to me 💕💬

I’ve read every comment, and one from @johnstone_cathy really stayed with me. She wrote:
“For those who wonder if their kindness means anything, Wyanne’s journey will confirm that kindness and spreading your love means everything.”
And wow… it really does. 💖

Yesterday, I ventured out to a couple of vintage markets hunting for old textiles 🧵 (only because the most fabulous assistant in the world @erikadanielleart was making the messy studio magical again. Couldn’t do it without her! ❤️). At both places, the people behind the checkout recognized that I had a speech impairment—and instead of making assumptions, they responded with kindness and engaged in conversation with me 😲. It just made my day brighter… and I carried that light back into the studio today.

It’s funny how little moments like that—small gestures, big heart—can shift the whole rhythm of a day ✨. And they always show up in my paintings too… little echoes of love, courage, and connection.

This piece, What Stays With Us, is one of my favorites. I almost kept it. But something told me it needed to go out into the world. So I’m sending it with love—hoping it carries a little of the same warmth and understanding that has been shown to me 🌸💙

🖼 What Stays With Us
Mixed media on raw canvas
44 x 44 inches
Available through @hillarywhitakergallery ❤️

The love and support from my recent post about going out alone with a speech impairment truly meant the world to me 💕💬

I’ve read every comment, and one from @johnstone_cathy really stayed with me. She wrote:
“For those who wonder if their kindness means anything, Wyanne’s journey will confirm that kindness and spreading your love means everything.”
And wow… it really does. 💖

Yesterday, I ventured out to a couple of vintage markets hunting for old textiles 🧵 (only because the most fabulous assistant in the world @erikadanielleart was making the messy studio magical again. Couldn’t do it without her! ❤️). At both places, the people behind the checkout recognized that I had a speech impairment—and instead of making assumptions, they responded with kindness and engaged in conversation with me 😲. It just made my day brighter… and I carried that light back into the studio today.

It’s funny how little moments like that—small gestures, big heart—can shift the whole rhythm of a day ✨. And they always show up in my paintings too… little echoes of love, courage, and connection.

This piece, What Stays With Us, is one of my favorites. I almost kept it. But something told me it needed to go out into the world. So I’m sending it with love—hoping it carries a little of the same warmth and understanding that has been shown to me 🌸💙

🖼 What Stays With Us
Mixed media on raw canvas
44 x 44 inches
Available through @hillarywhitakergallery ❤️

“Joy is not made to be a crumb.” — Mary Oliver 🌸✨
Let joy bloom wildly—wherever it wants to grow 💕🌿

“Joy Blooms II”
🎨 Mixed media on paper
📏 16” x 16”
📍 Available at @hillarywhitakergallery

Joy Blooms I,III and IV have already sold but I'm working on more of this series. They look so good in acrylic plexi frames!!! 🎨

“Joy is not made to be a crumb.” — Mary Oliver 🌸✨
Let joy bloom wildly—wherever it wants to grow 💕🌿

“Joy Blooms II”
🎨 Mixed media on paper
📏 16” x 16”
📍 Available at @hillarywhitakergallery

Joy Blooms I,III and IV have already sold but I'm working on more of this series. They look so good in acrylic plexi frames!!! 🎨

Sometimes I wonder if a lot of us are retreating a little more these days. After everything the world has thrown at us—and after how much COVID changed the way we move through life—I get it.

I’ve realized lately how easy it is for me to stay tucked into the comfort and beauty of my studio. It’s peaceful. It’s safe. And honestly—it’s where I feel most like me.

But once a week, I’ve been gently nudging myself to go out—alone. Just me.
And that part matters, because it’s not always easy.

Nothing major… a stop at the farmers market 🍓, the pet store 🐾, the little aquarium shop 🐠… and omg 😆 we finally got a Marshalls in our tiny town! 🛍️🎉 lol

It still takes a bit of courage. My speech can throw people off. But I’m used to it now. I know who I am—and I know how to keep showing up.

And when I come across someone kind, who takes the time to understand me—it fills me all the way up 💗 I want to hug them, or do a happy dance right there in the aisle.

That’s all it takes to carry me back into the studio—to keep doing what I love in the best way I know how 🎨

Sometimes I wonder if a lot of us are retreating a little more these days. After everything the world has thrown at us—and after how much COVID changed the way we move through life—I get it.

I’ve realized lately how easy it is for me to stay tucked into the comfort and beauty of my studio. It’s peaceful. It’s safe. And honestly—it’s where I feel most like me.

But once a week, I’ve been gently nudging myself to go out—alone. Just me.
And that part matters, because it’s not always easy.

Nothing major… a stop at the farmers market 🍓, the pet store 🐾, the little aquarium shop 🐠… and omg 😆 we finally got a Marshalls in our tiny town! 🛍️🎉 lol

It still takes a bit of courage. My speech can throw people off. But I’m used to it now. I know who I am—and I know how to keep showing up.

And when I come across someone kind, who takes the time to understand me—it fills me all the way up 💗 I want to hug them, or do a happy dance right there in the aisle.

That’s all it takes to carry me back into the studio—to keep doing what I love in the best way I know how 🎨

Deadlines + looming = ✅
(Stress + Overwhelm) ÷ (Joy + Love) = 0 stress / 0.012 overwhelm 😂

Studio + Paint = My favorite kind of chaos 🎨🌀
(And yes… I’m still terrible at math 😅)

Deadlines + looming = ✅
(Stress + Overwhelm) ÷ (Joy + Love) = 0 stress / 0.012 overwhelm 😂

Studio + Paint = My favorite kind of chaos 🎨🌀
(And yes… I’m still terrible at math 😅)

“She walked the edge of dreams, and found her way by moonlight.” — Atticus 🌙💫🌸

This one can hang vertical or horizontal depending on your mood—it’s a path open to interpretation ✨
And if you’re in the Orlando area this summer, be sure to stop by @solanafineart ! The gallery is gorgeous… truly a must-see. And Bob, the owner, is an absolute delight! 🎨☀️

“The Dreamer’s Path”
🎨 Acrylic on raw unprimed canvas
📏 30” x 36”
📍 Available at Solana Fine Art

“She walked the edge of dreams, and found her way by moonlight.” — Atticus 🌙💫🌸

This one can hang vertical or horizontal depending on your mood—it’s a path open to interpretation ✨
And if you’re in the Orlando area this summer, be sure to stop by @solanafineart ! The gallery is gorgeous… truly a must-see. And Bob, the owner, is an absolute delight! 🎨☀️

“The Dreamer’s Path”
🎨 Acrylic on raw unprimed canvas
📏 30” x 36”
📍 Available at Solana Fine Art

Lately I’ve just been feeling… really happy 😊 Content. Peaceful.

Even though I’ve been working on some major deadlines and big projects 🎯🖌️, there’s been this calm under it all. And honestly—it feels kind of amazing ✨

I think about all the years before cancer… and even a few after… and I know I wasn’t this happy. I mean, no one’s happy 100% of the time. But lately? I feel pretty close 💛

I’ve been seeing a lot of friends and folks online off on these big vacations to faraway places 🌍✈️—and I realized something. I don’t feel that need to go anymore.

This past weekend, Logan @loganipsum came to town 💕 and we took a little day trip to this tiny town about an hour away 🚗🌸 No real plan… just go and explore. Maybe we’re just easily amused 😄, but it really did feel like a mini vacation 🌟

I still head into the city a couple times a month—got to get my big city fix… can’t take the city out of this girl, lol 🏙️🛍️💃

But even when I’m having fun, I’m always ready to come home again 🏡 And most of all… ready to get back in the studio 🎨🐾

This morning I woke up, looked out the big picture window in my bedroom and thought:
Thank you. 🙏

For this beautiful, messy, colorful life I get to live 🌈💗
It’s spectacular ✨

And then I jumped out of bed—ready to do it all again 💕🎨🌞

Lately I’ve just been feeling… really happy 😊 Content. Peaceful.

Even though I’ve been working on some major deadlines and big projects 🎯🖌️, there’s been this calm under it all. And honestly—it feels kind of amazing ✨

I think about all the years before cancer… and even a few after… and I know I wasn’t this happy. I mean, no one’s happy 100% of the time. But lately? I feel pretty close 💛

I’ve been seeing a lot of friends and folks online off on these big vacations to faraway places 🌍✈️—and I realized something. I don’t feel that need to go anymore.

This past weekend, Logan @loganipsum came to town 💕 and we took a little day trip to this tiny town about an hour away 🚗🌸 No real plan… just go and explore. Maybe we’re just easily amused 😄, but it really did feel like a mini vacation 🌟

I still head into the city a couple times a month—got to get my big city fix… can’t take the city out of this girl, lol 🏙️🛍️💃

But even when I’m having fun, I’m always ready to come home again 🏡 And most of all… ready to get back in the studio 🎨🐾

This morning I woke up, looked out the big picture window in my bedroom and thought:
Thank you. 🙏

For this beautiful, messy, colorful life I get to live 🌈💗
It’s spectacular ✨

And then I jumped out of bed—ready to do it all again 💕🎨🌞

“New Adventures” has found its home 💫
It’s the perfect size and colors for the space—so magical when that happens ✨
Huge thanks to @macfineart for making it happen!
So grateful for my galleries—so I can keep my focus on painting 🎨🙏❤️

“New Adventures” has found its home 💫
It’s the perfect size and colors for the space—so magical when that happens ✨
Huge thanks to @macfineart for making it happen!
So grateful for my galleries—so I can keep my focus on painting 🎨🙏❤️

Until Zizi came along, Rae was in all the studio photos… I think she thought it was her job 😄 She’d just strike a pose—though maybe it was really about the cookie at the end 🍪💕

Our 12lb Humane Society puppy turned into our 90lb Pittie/Great Dane couch potato! 😂💕
Happy 6th Birthday to Rae! 🎈🐶

Until Zizi came along, Rae was in all the studio photos… I think she thought it was her job 😄 She’d just strike a pose—though maybe it was really about the cookie at the end 🍪💕

Our 12lb Humane Society puppy turned into our 90lb Pittie/Great Dane couch potato! 😂💕
Happy 6th Birthday to Rae! 🎈🐶

“When pink and red dance together, joy shows up.” 💞✨🌺
…and yes, there’s a tiny painted beetle hiding in there too 🐞💫

“All In Love”
🎨 Mixed media on canvas
📏 65” x 48”
📍 Available at @macfineart

“When pink and red dance together, joy shows up.” 💞✨🌺
…and yes, there’s a tiny painted beetle hiding in there too 🐞💫

“All In Love”
🎨 Mixed media on canvas
📏 65” x 48”
📍 Available at @macfineart

After I posted the photo of me and Zizi last week, a few of you asked how she was settling in—so here’s a little update on our spunky girl 💕

We got her in mid-February. She was underweight (though the rescue @laskeysluckyones had already helped with that after saving her from the pound). That definitely wasn’t a problem at our house… I’ve even had to cut back on treats lately thanks to a little pudge 😆 No fat shaming—just living her best life!

The vet thought she might have alopecia—her dark fur was really thin or totally missing in spots. A DNA test showed she’s a Min Pin/Rat Terrier mix, and a tiny daily dose of melatonin started doing the trick. Her coat is slowly filling in 🌱✨ I think not being on the street anymore has helped too.

She gets along great with the other dogs, runs wild zoomies inside and out, and I’m even starting to catch her and Rae playing—but the second I look, they stop! 😂

She’s become my little shadow 🐾 Went on a long road trip to Florida, attended art shows, and keeps her eyes on me 24/7. The best guy in the world says she’s like my medical alert dog… and it’s true. If I so much as cough, she runs to check on me with those soulful eyes.

It’s definitely a case of who rescued who 🥹
I don’t know what I’d do without her.
Feels like she’s been part of the family for years—not just four months ❤️

After I posted the photo of me and Zizi last week, a few of you asked how she was settling in—so here’s a little update on our spunky girl 💕

We got her in mid-February. She was underweight (though the rescue @laskeysluckyones had already helped with that after saving her from the pound). That definitely wasn’t a problem at our house… I’ve even had to cut back on treats lately thanks to a little pudge 😆 No fat shaming—just living her best life!

The vet thought she might have alopecia—her dark fur was really thin or totally missing in spots. A DNA test showed she’s a Min Pin/Rat Terrier mix, and a tiny daily dose of melatonin started doing the trick. Her coat is slowly filling in 🌱✨ I think not being on the street anymore has helped too.

She gets along great with the other dogs, runs wild zoomies inside and out, and I’m even starting to catch her and Rae playing—but the second I look, they stop! 😂

She’s become my little shadow 🐾 Went on a long road trip to Florida, attended art shows, and keeps her eyes on me 24/7. The best guy in the world says she’s like my medical alert dog… and it’s true. If I so much as cough, she runs to check on me with those soulful eyes.

It’s definitely a case of who rescued who 🥹
I don’t know what I’d do without her.
Feels like she’s been part of the family for years—not just four months ❤️

“It’s not where you come from, it’s where you’re going that counts.” — Wicked 💫🌈✨

“Oz”
🎨 Acrylic, glitter, thread, and seed beads on raw unprimed canvas
📏 44” x 44”
📍 Available

“It’s not where you come from, it’s where you’re going that counts.” — Wicked 💫🌈✨

“Oz”
🎨 Acrylic, glitter, thread, and seed beads on raw unprimed canvas
📏 44” x 44”
📍 Available

I was recently contacted about my “disability.” And to be honest—it threw me. I guess I’ve never thought of my speech impairment that way.

When I’m here in the studio, I don’t think about it much. My dogs understand me just fine 🐾 The best guy in the world, and my incredible son @dramaticyetistudios , generally understand me 💗 I have a few good friends who are patient and have learned “Wyanne Speak” 💬 And of course—Logan @loganipsum . She’s always understood me best 💕✨

About a year after my cancer treatment and intense speech therapy, I was able to return to teaching my online workshops—thanks to subtitles 🎥 I found a way.

Then, a few years ago, I had a serious infection. Two more surgeries. But due to radiation damage, my body didn’t heal properly… even after more than 40 hyperbaric treatments 💔 It altered my speech again. My team and I knew another surgery could be too risky. So I adapted.

As long as I could paint, I was happy 🎨💫

Yes, my speech became harder to understand—maybe a little, maybe a lot. But I still didn’t think of it as a disability. I only really notice it when I go out, have to interact with strangers, or use my feeding tube in public. And sometimes, it does bring me down 😔

People can be rude. Or stare.

But then I come back here—to the studio—and everything’s okay again 🌿🎨
I feel like I’m living my best life. Not one of disability, but of ability.

I’m stronger, more capable, and more alive than I ever was before cancer. I’ve gained so much 💪💖

And while I know I talk about this a lot, it truly is my superpower ✨

Because when you find your love—your passion—your world changes 🌍
You change.
You find a way 💫

I was recently contacted about my “disability.” And to be honest—it threw me. I guess I’ve never thought of my speech impairment that way.

When I’m here in the studio, I don’t think about it much. My dogs understand me just fine 🐾 The best guy in the world, and my incredible son @dramaticyetistudios , generally understand me 💗 I have a few good friends who are patient and have learned “Wyanne Speak” 💬 And of course—Logan @loganipsum . She’s always understood me best 💕✨

About a year after my cancer treatment and intense speech therapy, I was able to return to teaching my online workshops—thanks to subtitles 🎥 I found a way.

Then, a few years ago, I had a serious infection. Two more surgeries. But due to radiation damage, my body didn’t heal properly… even after more than 40 hyperbaric treatments 💔 It altered my speech again. My team and I knew another surgery could be too risky. So I adapted.

As long as I could paint, I was happy 🎨💫

Yes, my speech became harder to understand—maybe a little, maybe a lot. But I still didn’t think of it as a disability. I only really notice it when I go out, have to interact with strangers, or use my feeding tube in public. And sometimes, it does bring me down 😔

People can be rude. Or stare.

But then I come back here—to the studio—and everything’s okay again 🌿🎨
I feel like I’m living my best life. Not one of disability, but of ability.

I’m stronger, more capable, and more alive than I ever was before cancer. I’ve gained so much 💪💖

And while I know I talk about this a lot, it truly is my superpower ✨

Because when you find your love—your passion—your world changes 🌍
You change.
You find a way 💫

I’m super excited to share that my work is now being shown at Ocean Galleries in New Jersey! @oceangalleries
🎉🎨 They have two beautiful locations — one in Stone Harbor and the other in Avalon — and it’s my very first gallery in the Northeast US! 🌊💙

I haven’t had the chance to see either location in person yet, but I hope to soon. The photos look absolutely dreamy! ✨

If you’re up that way this summer, definitely stop in and take a peek!

📍 Stone Harbor Gallery
9618 Third Avenue
Stone Harbor, NJ 08247
Open Friday–Sunday, 10am–5pm

📍 Avalon Gallery
2199 Ocean Drive (22nd & Ocean Drive)
Avalon, NJ 08202
Open Wednesday–Saturday, 9am–5pm

I’m super excited to share that my work is now being shown at Ocean Galleries in New Jersey! @oceangalleries
🎉🎨 They have two beautiful locations — one in Stone Harbor and the other in Avalon — and it’s my very first gallery in the Northeast US! 🌊💙

I haven’t had the chance to see either location in person yet, but I hope to soon. The photos look absolutely dreamy! ✨

If you’re up that way this summer, definitely stop in and take a peek!

📍 Stone Harbor Gallery
9618 Third Avenue
Stone Harbor, NJ 08247
Open Friday–Sunday, 10am–5pm

📍 Avalon Gallery
2199 Ocean Drive (22nd & Ocean Drive)
Avalon, NJ 08202
Open Wednesday–Saturday, 9am–5pm

Sometimes I start with white, even though it makes no sense. Maybe it’s my way of clearing the slate—like giving the painting, and myself, permission to begin again. After everything I’ve been through, I’ve learned that not every beginning needs a reason. Some just need courage. 🤍

Sometimes I start with white, even though it makes no sense. Maybe it’s my way of clearing the slate—like giving the painting, and myself, permission to begin again. After everything I’ve been through, I’ve learned that not every beginning needs a reason. Some just need courage. 🤍

“Joyful Abundance” has found its new home! 💕

I painted this shortly after we moved to what I call “Paradise,” after leaving behind the craziness of the city. Funny enough—that’s the story of the new owners too.🌸✨

“Joyful Abundance” has found its new home! 💕

I painted this shortly after we moved to what I call “Paradise,” after leaving behind the craziness of the city. Funny enough—that’s the story of the new owners too.🌸✨

“There is still time to grow flowers from the places you thought were long gone.” — Morgan Harper Nichols 🌸🌿✨

“Hope Renewed”
🎨 Acrylic and pigments on raw unprimed Belgian linen
📏 36” x 36” x 1.5”
📍 Available

“There is still time to grow flowers from the places you thought were long gone.” — Morgan Harper Nichols 🌸🌿✨

“Hope Renewed”
🎨 Acrylic and pigments on raw unprimed Belgian linen
📏 36” x 36” x 1.5”
📍 Available

In my last post, a lot of folks didn’t realize the screenshot I shared was from 2014. I’m really sorry if I worried anyone. I tried to reply to as many of you as I could, but just to say it clearly here—I’m doing great! 💪

It’s been 11 years since my life-changing surgery and treatment. And while I still have the occasional bump in the road, I’ve been given the most incredible gift… the gift of time ⏳💖

I truly can’t begin to tell you how good I feel. I spend my days painting, surrounded by color, love, and three very loyal rescue pups (Zizi shown here 🐶📸).

And here’s the wildest part…
Despite all my scars, my feeding tube, and those hard moments—I feel more beautiful now than I ever have in my entire life.
Maybe it’s because I’ve finally learned not to give a hoot about the stuff that doesn’t matter. Or maybe… it’s just my little light shining through 💫

“Glow”
🎨 Acrylic, mica on raw unprimed canvas
📏 64” x 37”
📍 Available at @solanafineart

“Nothing can dim the light which shines from within.” — Maya Angelou ✨❤️

In my last post, a lot of folks didn’t realize the screenshot I shared was from 2014. I’m really sorry if I worried anyone. I tried to reply to as many of you as I could, but just to say it clearly here—I’m doing great! 💪

It’s been 11 years since my life-changing surgery and treatment. And while I still have the occasional bump in the road, I’ve been given the most incredible gift… the gift of time ⏳💖

I truly can’t begin to tell you how good I feel. I spend my days painting, surrounded by color, love, and three very loyal rescue pups (Zizi shown here 🐶📸).

And here’s the wildest part…
Despite all my scars, my feeding tube, and those hard moments—I feel more beautiful now than I ever have in my entire life.
Maybe it’s because I’ve finally learned not to give a hoot about the stuff that doesn’t matter. Or maybe… it’s just my little light shining through 💫

“Glow”
🎨 Acrylic, mica on raw unprimed canvas
📏 64” x 37”
📍 Available at @solanafineart

“Nothing can dim the light which shines from within.” — Maya Angelou ✨❤️

***Please Note the screenshot is from 2014. I am fine that was from 11 years ago***

I painted this as a quiet offering 🙏✌️🌍

While looking for photos of this piece, I found a few old screenshots buried deep in my camera roll. They were from 2014, just days after my surgery. One was a post written by the best guy in the world, and I realized I had never really allowed myself to really read it. I remember the experience being traumatic and scary—but I didn’t fully grasp just how serious things were until now, 11 years later.

But what really stopped me was the next screenshot—someone in the UK asking others online to “hold internet hands” and send love, energy, and healing all the way to me in Atlanta 💞🌍

The outpouring of love during that time—from people I had never met—meant everything. It helped carry me through the months that followed, through radiation, chemo, setbacks, and slow recovery.

When I painted Prayers For The World, that love—the kind that transcends distance and holds people together—was at the forefront of my soul.
It still is. 💙

“Prayers For The World”
🎨 Mixed media on canvas
📏 96” x 84”
📍 Available at Mac Fine Art

***Please Note the screenshot is from 2014. I am fine that was from 11 years ago***

I painted this as a quiet offering 🙏✌️🌍

While looking for photos of this piece, I found a few old screenshots buried deep in my camera roll. They were from 2014, just days after my surgery. One was a post written by the best guy in the world, and I realized I had never really allowed myself to really read it. I remember the experience being traumatic and scary—but I didn’t fully grasp just how serious things were until now, 11 years later.

But what really stopped me was the next screenshot—someone in the UK asking others online to “hold internet hands” and send love, energy, and healing all the way to me in Atlanta 💞🌍

The outpouring of love during that time—from people I had never met—meant everything. It helped carry me through the months that followed, through radiation, chemo, setbacks, and slow recovery.

When I painted Prayers For The World, that love—the kind that transcends distance and holds people together—was at the forefront of my soul.
It still is. 💙

“Prayers For The World”
🎨 Mixed media on canvas
📏 96” x 84”
📍 Available at Mac Fine Art

I love my f-ing job! 😆🎨
I never cussed before cancer. But afterwards? Turns out the F word and 💩 were two of the easiest things for me to say—and people actually understood me! 😂
Seriously, I am so blessed I get to do this every day. I don’t take a single minute for granted. 💫🙏🎉

I love my f-ing job! 😆🎨
I never cussed before cancer. But afterwards? Turns out the F word and 💩 were two of the easiest things for me to say—and people actually understood me! 😂
Seriously, I am so blessed I get to do this every day. I don’t take a single minute for granted. 💫🙏🎉

“A really good picture looks as if it’s happened at once.” — Helen Frankenthaler ✨🎨

“Candy Hills” is painted on raw, unprimed canvas—which means the paint doesn’t sit on top, it sinks in, stains, and flows freely 💦💖
Sometimes (most times) it even soaks right through to the floor 😂

Working this way is like a dance—sometimes the paint takes the lead, sometimes I do 💃🎨
It’s unpredictable, messy, magical… and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I’ve been painting like this for over a decade now. It started when I was a kid and saw a huge Helen Frankenthaler piece in a museum. She was the only woman in the show—and her work completely mesmerized me. That moment never left me ✨

If you’re curious about this process, I teach it in my online masterclass RAW. It’s ongoing, self-paced, and you’ll have forever access if you ever want to jump in and explore 💻💫🖌️

Painting Info:
“Candy Hills”
🎨 Acrylic on raw unprimed canvas
📏 40” x 40”
📍 Available @bennettgalleriesnashville

“A really good picture looks as if it’s happened at once.” — Helen Frankenthaler ✨🎨

“Candy Hills” is painted on raw, unprimed canvas—which means the paint doesn’t sit on top, it sinks in, stains, and flows freely 💦💖
Sometimes (most times) it even soaks right through to the floor 😂

Working this way is like a dance—sometimes the paint takes the lead, sometimes I do 💃🎨
It’s unpredictable, messy, magical… and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I’ve been painting like this for over a decade now. It started when I was a kid and saw a huge Helen Frankenthaler piece in a museum. She was the only woman in the show—and her work completely mesmerized me. That moment never left me ✨

If you’re curious about this process, I teach it in my online masterclass RAW. It’s ongoing, self-paced, and you’ll have forever access if you ever want to jump in and explore 💻💫🖌️

Painting Info:
“Candy Hills”
🎨 Acrylic on raw unprimed canvas
📏 40” x 40”
📍 Available @bennettgalleriesnashville

I almost didn’t share this photo.

I noticed the scars on my neck—the marks left from surgery and radiation. I thought about how I used to hide them with scarves 🧣 Until I realized… they’re part of my story, my strength, and my survival.

Someone once described me as “the one on Instagram with the skinny neck.” I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or be hurt. But I kept painting and posting anyway.

Those scars may not be pretty. But I earned every single one 💪💗 I fought hard for this life—and I’m still winning that battle every single day.

This painting is “The Whisper Became a Song.” And that’s what healing has felt like for me—quiet strength growing louder, more beautiful, and more full of life with time 🎶🌸💫

“The Whisper Became a Song”
🖌️ Acrylic on Raw Canvas
📏 40 x 40 in
Available at @hillarywhitakergallery

I almost didn’t share this photo.

I noticed the scars on my neck—the marks left from surgery and radiation. I thought about how I used to hide them with scarves 🧣 Until I realized… they’re part of my story, my strength, and my survival.

Someone once described me as “the one on Instagram with the skinny neck.” I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or be hurt. But I kept painting and posting anyway.

Those scars may not be pretty. But I earned every single one 💪💗 I fought hard for this life—and I’m still winning that battle every single day.

This painting is “The Whisper Became a Song.” And that’s what healing has felt like for me—quiet strength growing louder, more beautiful, and more full of life with time 🎶🌸💫

“The Whisper Became a Song”
🖌️ Acrylic on Raw Canvas
📏 40 x 40 in
Available at @hillarywhitakergallery

“Hello, sun in my face. Hello, you who make the morning and spread it over the fields…” — Mary Oliver ✨🌞
I love Mary Oliver so much. Happy Wednesday everyone! Shine bright! 💛🌸☀️

“Sunlit Sanctuary”
🎨 Acrylic on raw unprimed canvas
📏 44” x 46”
📍 Available @macfineart

“Hello, sun in my face. Hello, you who make the morning and spread it over the fields…” — Mary Oliver ✨🌞
I love Mary Oliver so much. Happy Wednesday everyone! Shine bright! 💛🌸☀️

“Sunlit Sanctuary”
🎨 Acrylic on raw unprimed canvas
📏 44” x 46”
📍 Available @macfineart

Some days, not being able to speak clearly is just plain hard 💬 It wears on me.

People assume I’m deaf and start yelling. Others might think I’ve had a stroke. The truth is, I’ve been living with a speech impairment ever since losing my entire tongue to Stage IV cancer in 2014—and radiation damage has made my speech worse over the last few years.

Even my dear friends who are deaf and read lips sometimes struggle to understand me, because I have to move my mouth in unusual ways just to get words out 🗣️ It’s frustrating when you can’t make a phone call or even ask a question at a store without writing it down. I guess speech impairment is still something people don’t really expect or understand.

Thankfully, my family does. Pups always understand too 🐾💗 And my beautiful friends have learned what they lovingly call “Wyanne Speak.” 💞💬

Still, I get anxious meeting people at shows or in public. I feel more self-conscious about how I sound—or how I’ll come across.

But once, a wise little 5-year-old girl said: “She speaks art.” And she was right. I just need to always remind myself of that.

This is my incredibly blessed, magical life ✨ And every day, when I step into my studio—I speak 🎨🌿🖌️💫

Some days, not being able to speak clearly is just plain hard 💬 It wears on me.

People assume I’m deaf and start yelling. Others might think I’ve had a stroke. The truth is, I’ve been living with a speech impairment ever since losing my entire tongue to Stage IV cancer in 2014—and radiation damage has made my speech worse over the last few years.

Even my dear friends who are deaf and read lips sometimes struggle to understand me, because I have to move my mouth in unusual ways just to get words out 🗣️ It’s frustrating when you can’t make a phone call or even ask a question at a store without writing it down. I guess speech impairment is still something people don’t really expect or understand.

Thankfully, my family does. Pups always understand too 🐾💗 And my beautiful friends have learned what they lovingly call “Wyanne Speak.” 💞💬

Still, I get anxious meeting people at shows or in public. I feel more self-conscious about how I sound—or how I’ll come across.

But once, a wise little 5-year-old girl said: “She speaks art.” And she was right. I just need to always remind myself of that.

This is my incredibly blessed, magical life ✨ And every day, when I step into my studio—I speak 🎨🌿🖌️💫

“Silence is a source of great strength.” — Lao Tzu ✨
Happy Glorious Monday Everyone! 🌞💫🌿

Painting Info:
“Where Wishes Rest”
🎨 Acrylic on canvas
📏 36” x 24” Multidirectional
📍 Available @dkcontemporarygallery

“Silence is a source of great strength.” — Lao Tzu ✨
Happy Glorious Monday Everyone! 🌞💫🌿

Painting Info:
“Where Wishes Rest”
🎨 Acrylic on canvas
📏 36” x 24” Multidirectional
📍 Available @dkcontemporarygallery

This was my “someday” dream ✨
I dreamt of this painting during my cancer treatment and recovery—when I wasn’t sure I’d even still be here, or if I’d ever be able to paint again.
It took over a year to finally have the space, the energy… and to find my brave to start painting it.

A local woodworker built the stretcher for me—84” x 96” 🛠️
I stretched the canvas myself and got to work 🖼️
That first splash of paint was thrilling beyond belief!
I was finally doing it!
As I painted, I shared the process on social media… and everyone loved it 💕🎨

Gallery visits came and went…
“It’s too big.”
“It’s hard to show.”

It moved with me through four studios—always there in the background as I focused on slightly smaller-scale paintings 🏡
I almost gave up on ever showing it.

Until one day… I got a message 📩
A fellow cancer survivor had seen it—and felt something ✨
She wanted it ❤️

It took a forklift to lift it into her second-story condo 🏗️
And when I saw it in place, I cried 😭

It reminded me why I do this.
Not for galleries.
Not for likes.
But for moments like this 💫

✨ Create the thing—even if no one gets it yet.
🎨 Create it anyway.
Because if it heals you, it will eventually reach the person who needs it most.

This one did ❤️

This was my “someday” dream ✨
I dreamt of this painting during my cancer treatment and recovery—when I wasn’t sure I’d even still be here, or if I’d ever be able to paint again.
It took over a year to finally have the space, the energy… and to find my brave to start painting it.

A local woodworker built the stretcher for me—84” x 96” 🛠️
I stretched the canvas myself and got to work 🖼️
That first splash of paint was thrilling beyond belief!
I was finally doing it!
As I painted, I shared the process on social media… and everyone loved it 💕🎨

Gallery visits came and went…
“It’s too big.”
“It’s hard to show.”

It moved with me through four studios—always there in the background as I focused on slightly smaller-scale paintings 🏡
I almost gave up on ever showing it.

Until one day… I got a message 📩
A fellow cancer survivor had seen it—and felt something ✨
She wanted it ❤️

It took a forklift to lift it into her second-story condo 🏗️
And when I saw it in place, I cried 😭

It reminded me why I do this.
Not for galleries.
Not for likes.
But for moments like this 💫

✨ Create the thing—even if no one gets it yet.
🎨 Create it anyway.
Because if it heals you, it will eventually reach the person who needs it most.

This one did ❤️

I just love this shot that Logan @loganipsum captured at Solana Fine Art in Winter Park, FL✨🌴☀️

The light streaming through “Runaway to Paradise” made the whole space feel magical—like the painting was glowing from the inside out 🌈☀️🪄

I’ve actually had a collector hang one of my paintings in front of a big window before, and it was stunning! This reminded me of that moment… when light and art come together to create something completely unexpected and beautiful 💫

The last photo here is of that other painting, displayed in a large window. Still one of the most breathtaking ways I’ve ever seen my work presented ✨ thank you @hillarywhitakergallery ❤️

“Runaway to Paradise”
🖌️ Acrylic, Pigment & Glitter on Raw Unprimed Canvas
📏 60 x 72 in
Available at @solanafineart

I just love this shot that Logan @loganipsum captured at Solana Fine Art in Winter Park, FL✨🌴☀️

The light streaming through “Runaway to Paradise” made the whole space feel magical—like the painting was glowing from the inside out 🌈☀️🪄

I’ve actually had a collector hang one of my paintings in front of a big window before, and it was stunning! This reminded me of that moment… when light and art come together to create something completely unexpected and beautiful 💫

The last photo here is of that other painting, displayed in a large window. Still one of the most breathtaking ways I’ve ever seen my work presented ✨ thank you @hillarywhitakergallery ❤️

“Runaway to Paradise”
🖌️ Acrylic, Pigment & Glitter on Raw Unprimed Canvas
📏 60 x 72 in
Available at @solanafineart

Getting Away” is about stepping out of the everyday and discovering something new ✨
It’s a little escape—a reminder that wonder and beauty are everywhere if we take the time to look 🌈
There are even tiny sewn-in beads and bits of thread stitched into the painting—little treasures waiting to be noticed 🧵✨

Painting Info:
“Getting Away”
🎨 Mixed media on canvas with sewn details and beads
📏 36” x 48”
📍 Available @macfineart

Getting Away” is about stepping out of the everyday and discovering something new ✨
It’s a little escape—a reminder that wonder and beauty are everywhere if we take the time to look 🌈
There are even tiny sewn-in beads and bits of thread stitched into the painting—little treasures waiting to be noticed 🧵✨

Painting Info:
“Getting Away”
🎨 Mixed media on canvas with sewn details and beads
📏 36” x 48”
📍 Available @macfineart

Just a little studio joy to brighten your day! Louie and Zizi keeping me company… while I make sure there’s never a clean floor 🐾🎨🩷🖌️

Just a little studio joy to brighten your day! Louie and Zizi keeping me company… while I make sure there’s never a clean floor 🐾🎨🩷🖌️

“Celebrated Wins” is about those quiet victories we don’t always share—the kind you feel deep down inside ✨
Every layer, every mark in this painting was a little reminder to keep going, even on the hard days ❤️

Painting Info:
“Celebrated Wins”
🎨 Acrylic and glitter on canvas, multidimensional
📏 68” x 48”
📍 Available @solanafineart

“Celebrated Wins” is about those quiet victories we don’t always share—the kind you feel deep down inside ✨
Every layer, every mark in this painting was a little reminder to keep going, even on the hard days ❤️

Painting Info:
“Celebrated Wins”
🎨 Acrylic and glitter on canvas, multidimensional
📏 68” x 48”
📍 Available @solanafineart

Some days are hard. As an 11-year survivor of stage IV oral cancer, my immune system is fragile, and the long-term effects of treatment still surprise me 💔

There are days when I can’t talk clearly, when the energy just isn’t there, and the frustration of feeling misunderstood creeps in.

But then I step into the studio. I breathe. I paint. 🎨✨

My art helps me find the light again—over and over. It lets me speak without words. Painting keeps me grounded and connected to the world when everything else feels overwhelming. 🌍

It allows me to find the beauty that is still around us, wanting to be seen and felt. 💫🖌️

Thank you for being here and for letting my paintings do the talking when I sometimes can’t 🤗❤️

“Where Light Becomes Love”
🖌️ Acrylic on Canvas
📏 64 x 36 x 1.5”
🔄 Multidirectional
✨ Available

Some days are hard. As an 11-year survivor of stage IV oral cancer, my immune system is fragile, and the long-term effects of treatment still surprise me 💔

There are days when I can’t talk clearly, when the energy just isn’t there, and the frustration of feeling misunderstood creeps in.

But then I step into the studio. I breathe. I paint. 🎨✨

My art helps me find the light again—over and over. It lets me speak without words. Painting keeps me grounded and connected to the world when everything else feels overwhelming. 🌍

It allows me to find the beauty that is still around us, wanting to be seen and felt. 💫🖌️

Thank you for being here and for letting my paintings do the talking when I sometimes can’t 🤗❤️

“Where Light Becomes Love”
🖌️ Acrylic on Canvas
📏 64 x 36 x 1.5”
🔄 Multidirectional
✨ Available

A peek into my happy place… splashes, layers, movement, and magic ✨🎨🖌️

This is where it all begins ❤️

A peek into my happy place… splashes, layers, movement, and magic ✨🎨🖌️

This is where it all begins ❤️

“Flower Shop” is filled with memories from summers in my aunt’s flower shop in Savannah 💐
Buckets overflowing, colors clashing in the best way…and the smell of all those gorgeous flowers! 🌸
My Aunt Katherine owned the shop and didn’t mind a little kid being underfoot during all the chaos. I was completely fascinated—it was probably my first real taste of creativity in the grown-up world ✨

Painting Info:
“Flower Shop”
🎨 acrylic on raw canvas
📏 50” x 40” x 1.5”
📍 Available at @macfineart

“Flower Shop” is filled with memories from summers in my aunt’s flower shop in Savannah 💐
Buckets overflowing, colors clashing in the best way…and the smell of all those gorgeous flowers! 🌸
My Aunt Katherine owned the shop and didn’t mind a little kid being underfoot during all the chaos. I was completely fascinated—it was probably my first real taste of creativity in the grown-up world ✨

Painting Info:
“Flower Shop”
🎨 acrylic on raw canvas
📏 50” x 40” x 1.5”
📍 Available at @macfineart

I just love seeing “A Moment’s Dance” in its beautiful new home!

Huge thanks to @dkcontemporarygallery and to the amazing collector who gave this piece such a lovely space to live.

I just love seeing “A Moment’s Dance” in its beautiful new home!

Huge thanks to @dkcontemporarygallery and to the amazing collector who gave this piece such a lovely space to live.

“Island Beauty II” is a smaller piece, which is rare for me ☀️
It was inspired by my years living on Amelia Island—a truly special place 🌴
Florida will always have my heart ❤️

Painting Info:
“Island Beauty II”
🎨 acrylic on raw canvas
📏 12” x 12” x 1.5”
📍 Available at @hillarywhitakergallery

“Island Beauty II” is a smaller piece, which is rare for me ☀️
It was inspired by my years living on Amelia Island—a truly special place 🌴
Florida will always have my heart ❤️

Painting Info:
“Island Beauty II”
🎨 acrylic on raw canvas
📏 12” x 12” x 1.5”
📍 Available at @hillarywhitakergallery

Every day is a gift… and this is exactly how I love spending mine 🖌️☀️

Every day is a gift… and this is exactly how I love spending mine 🖌️☀️

“Opal Garden” is like a soft whisper of spring that lingers in the air 🌸
It’s where pastels bloom and everything feels just a little more enchanted ✨
I wanted this one to feel like wandering into a dream you didn’t want to wake up from…

“Opal Garden”
🎨 Acrylic on raw unprimed canvas
📏 28” x 21” x 1.5”
📍 Available at @bennettgalleriesnashville

“Opal Garden” is like a soft whisper of spring that lingers in the air 🌸
It’s where pastels bloom and everything feels just a little more enchanted ✨
I wanted this one to feel like wandering into a dream you didn’t want to wake up from…

“Opal Garden”
🎨 Acrylic on raw unprimed canvas
📏 28” x 21” x 1.5”
📍 Available at @bennettgalleriesnashville

Hi there! If you’re new here—welcome! I’m Wyanne, a full-time artist, stage IV oral cancer survivor, and unapologetic believer in beauty, magic, and resilience ✨

I’ve been an artist all my life, but after cancer, I found the courage to chase a dream I’d held onto for years—to paint large-scale abstract work that truly speaks for me when words can’t.

This photo was taken at the beautiful @solanafineart on Zizi’s very first road trip to Florida! 🐾 She’s one of our three rescue pups, with big ears and an even bigger heart. She may have separation anxiety… but let’s be honest, I probably do too!

Behind me is just a peek of one of my newer paintings, “Runaway to Paradise.” And on the table? The sweetest cookies with my artwork printed on them! 🍪 I couldn’t eat them myself (thanks to my feeding tube), and I usually try to avoid sugar… except for the occasional Starbucks matcha—my absolute favorite! 🍵

The silk shirt I’m wearing? I made it! ✂️ Using @libertyfabrics and a @closetcorepatterns design. When I’m not painting or snuggling pups, I sew—just for me (and my kids every once in a while). It’s become a real passion, even though I once botched a sequin skirt in college and thought I wasn’t cut out for it. Funny how life brings us back to what we love.

So grateful you’re here! 💕🐶🎨🤗

Hi there! If you’re new here—welcome! I’m Wyanne, a full-time artist, stage IV oral cancer survivor, and unapologetic believer in beauty, magic, and resilience ✨

I’ve been an artist all my life, but after cancer, I found the courage to chase a dream I’d held onto for years—to paint large-scale abstract work that truly speaks for me when words can’t.

This photo was taken at the beautiful @solanafineart on Zizi’s very first road trip to Florida! 🐾 She’s one of our three rescue pups, with big ears and an even bigger heart. She may have separation anxiety… but let’s be honest, I probably do too!

Behind me is just a peek of one of my newer paintings, “Runaway to Paradise.” And on the table? The sweetest cookies with my artwork printed on them! 🍪 I couldn’t eat them myself (thanks to my feeding tube), and I usually try to avoid sugar… except for the occasional Starbucks matcha—my absolute favorite! 🍵

The silk shirt I’m wearing? I made it! ✂️ Using @libertyfabrics and a @closetcorepatterns design. When I’m not painting or snuggling pups, I sew—just for me (and my kids every once in a while). It’s become a real passion, even though I once botched a sequin skirt in college and thought I wasn’t cut out for it. Funny how life brings us back to what we love.

So grateful you’re here! 💕🐶🎨🤗

“Holding Happiness” is one of those pieces that practically painted itself ✨
The bold yellow bloom just insisted on being the center of attention.
Some days joy feels quiet… other times it takes up space. This was one of the loud, beautiful ones 💛

Painting Info:
“Holding Happiness”
🎨 Acrylic on canvas and wood
📏 23.5” x 23.5” x 1.5”
📍 Available at @dkcontemporarygallery

“Holding Happiness” is one of those pieces that practically painted itself ✨
The bold yellow bloom just insisted on being the center of attention.
Some days joy feels quiet… other times it takes up space. This was one of the loud, beautiful ones 💛

Painting Info:
“Holding Happiness”
🎨 Acrylic on canvas and wood
📏 23.5” x 23.5” x 1.5”
📍 Available at @dkcontemporarygallery

Tonight is the opening of the Bloom show at @dkcontemporarygallery —one of my very favorite exhibitions every year 🌸. Each artist’s work is beautifully paired with a floral arrangement created by members of local garden clubs 🌷🌿, with proceeds benefiting the Marietta Educational Garden Center 🌼.

I was really looking forward to being there in person 💕, especially since the gallery owner created one of the stunning arrangements herself to go with my painting “The Space Between Dreams” ✨. I’m not sure who created the others, but they truly have me swooning! 🌺

Unfortunately, I’m feeling a bit under the weather 🤒 and won’t be able to attend. With my immune system already compromised and still recovering from a serious infection back in January (which required a round of major antibiotic infusions 💉), I’ve learned to listen to my body and not push too hard. I’m disappointed, of course, but I’m trying to nip it in the bud before it becomes anything more serious again 🌙.

To anyone who was hoping to see me tonight—I’m so sorry I can’t be there 💔. But the lovely team at the gallery kindly sent me photos so I could still share a peek with you all 📸. If you do make it to the show, I’d be so grateful if you’d snap a few extra photos for me too ✨.

The show will be up through May 31st—and if you’re anywhere near Marietta, it’s absolutely worth a visit 🖼️💐.

Tonight is the opening of the Bloom show at @dkcontemporarygallery —one of my very favorite exhibitions every year 🌸. Each artist’s work is beautifully paired with a floral arrangement created by members of local garden clubs 🌷🌿, with proceeds benefiting the Marietta Educational Garden Center 🌼.

I was really looking forward to being there in person 💕, especially since the gallery owner created one of the stunning arrangements herself to go with my painting “The Space Between Dreams” ✨. I’m not sure who created the others, but they truly have me swooning! 🌺

Unfortunately, I’m feeling a bit under the weather 🤒 and won’t be able to attend. With my immune system already compromised and still recovering from a serious infection back in January (which required a round of major antibiotic infusions 💉), I’ve learned to listen to my body and not push too hard. I’m disappointed, of course, but I’m trying to nip it in the bud before it becomes anything more serious again 🌙.

To anyone who was hoping to see me tonight—I’m so sorry I can’t be there 💔. But the lovely team at the gallery kindly sent me photos so I could still share a peek with you all 📸. If you do make it to the show, I’d be so grateful if you’d snap a few extra photos for me too ✨.

The show will be up through May 31st—and if you’re anywhere near Marietta, it’s absolutely worth a visit 🖼️💐.

Working in the studio can be quiet and lonely sometimes… but I’m never truly alone. My sweet pups come with me every day 🐾. They make me show up, keep me out of my head, and help me stay grounded—especially on the hard days. They don’t care if I can’t talk normally… they just love me. And over time, they’ve become a true part of my process ✨.

Seeing "Hope Garden" hanging in the gallery was a quiet “you did it” moment for me. And I wasn’t alone for that either. Zizi made her first art show debut—and while she couldn’t translate words, just like my hope for my art, she brought love and connection that words could never fully express ❤️.

“HOPE GARDEN”
🎨 acrylic on raw unprimed canvas
📏 60 x 60 in
🖼️ available at @solanafineart

Working in the studio can be quiet and lonely sometimes… but I’m never truly alone. My sweet pups come with me every day 🐾. They make me show up, keep me out of my head, and help me stay grounded—especially on the hard days. They don’t care if I can’t talk normally… they just love me. And over time, they’ve become a true part of my process ✨.

Seeing "Hope Garden" hanging in the gallery was a quiet “you did it” moment for me. And I wasn’t alone for that either. Zizi made her first art show debut—and while she couldn’t translate words, just like my hope for my art, she brought love and connection that words could never fully express ❤️.

“HOPE GARDEN”
🎨 acrylic on raw unprimed canvas
📏 60 x 60 in
🖼️ available at @solanafineart

This is my favorite painting I’ve created recently… and you might notice—it’s not my usual explosion of bright colors. ✨ That was intentional. I wanted to challenge myself… to begin somewhere unfamiliar.

Whispers Not Forgotten started with the deep, dark area at the bottom. I’ve been told more than once that collectors often shy away from large dark spaces in paintings. And I get that… I really do. But I’ve also learned—especially through my warrior journey with cancer—that the light cannot exist without the dark.

Life is a mix of both. Happiness and sadness. Hope and fear. Joy and grief. They all swirl together… and how we accept that truth is what shapes us. As much as I try to avoid the dark sometimes, it always lingers—but I only give it permission to be a whisper in my mind and soul.

The delicate, wispy flowers needed the dark to shine and glow meaningfully. 🌸 That’s what this painting is all about—letting the darkness occupy only the quietest corners and showering it with abundant love and light.

This morning, I read something on the Good News Network that brought me to happy tears. A group of teens developed an app to help diagnose mouth cancer early—with 82% accuracy—using just a phone and a tool that costs 50 cents. They even won $50k for their school. Can you believe that? Teenagers saw a need… and created something that could save lives. My own cancer wasn’t caught until stage 4 because I couldn’t get a clear diagnosis. So seeing this kind of hope and progress—it fills me with so much gratitude and faith in the future. What an incredible way to start a Monday. ✨

🩷 Whispers Not Forgotten
📏 66” x 55” x 2.5”
🖌️ Acrylic on raw unprimed canvas
🖼️ Available at @solanafineart

This is my favorite painting I’ve created recently… and you might notice—it’s not my usual explosion of bright colors. ✨ That was intentional. I wanted to challenge myself… to begin somewhere unfamiliar.

Whispers Not Forgotten started with the deep, dark area at the bottom. I’ve been told more than once that collectors often shy away from large dark spaces in paintings. And I get that… I really do. But I’ve also learned—especially through my warrior journey with cancer—that the light cannot exist without the dark.

Life is a mix of both. Happiness and sadness. Hope and fear. Joy and grief. They all swirl together… and how we accept that truth is what shapes us. As much as I try to avoid the dark sometimes, it always lingers—but I only give it permission to be a whisper in my mind and soul.

The delicate, wispy flowers needed the dark to shine and glow meaningfully. 🌸 That’s what this painting is all about—letting the darkness occupy only the quietest corners and showering it with abundant love and light.

This morning, I read something on the Good News Network that brought me to happy tears. A group of teens developed an app to help diagnose mouth cancer early—with 82% accuracy—using just a phone and a tool that costs 50 cents. They even won $50k for their school. Can you believe that? Teenagers saw a need… and created something that could save lives. My own cancer wasn’t caught until stage 4 because I couldn’t get a clear diagnosis. So seeing this kind of hope and progress—it fills me with so much gratitude and faith in the future. What an incredible way to start a Monday. ✨

🩷 Whispers Not Forgotten
📏 66” x 55” x 2.5”
🖌️ Acrylic on raw unprimed canvas
🖼️ Available at @solanafineart

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