Studio Update September 2026

Tiny hidden paintings, commissions, and upcoming Wildflower Studies release

Happy September, everyone!

What a great month! Busy, but it’s been fun (and in some unexpected ways!).

I decided a while ago that this deployment will be marked by small moments of joy. I firmly believe that most of life is attitude and it is what we make of it. So, to combat (no pun intended) the inevitable hard times of this deployment, my (and now my daughters’) September has been punctuated with sparks of delight. This has translated to taping photos of people I love inside my kitchen cabinets, so that every time I open them to get a dish out, I see a face I love. It has also resulted in some tiny little hidden animals making their way into my daughters’ rooms… and I have a sneak peek for you! One is finished, 3 are in the making. I’ll add their photos to the next studio update when they’re finished.

the making of a happy little bee with some lavender in my youngest daughter’s room

It is absolutely silly and kind of ridiculous how much joy this bee brings me every time I switch off her light in the evening (the lavender is peeking out from her light switch). My daughters have no choice but to accept that their childhood will be sprinkled with little painted creatures in their rooms; TBD if my husband returns to tiny painted hidden animals throughout ALL of our house.

Anyway, the rest of the last month in my art practice has been filled with starting some commissions for 2 dear friends, as well as planning the release of my next collection!

I simply couldn’t stop noticing these side of the road wildflowers throughout my summer in Oklahoma (despite seeing them my whole life); they are everywhere, and their movement and detail is just so interesting when you look at them closely.

My sister was nice enough to give me a few bud vases of them (she has so many wildflowers on her land), and being able to study them up close was very eye opening for my art practice. I was also able to paint plein air (outdoors/in person) on her land a few times which was really great.

I have been posting some of these on my instagram, and will give more details on this upcoming collection next week when it releases. I am very excited for you all to find a painting you love.

I hope the rest of your September is filled with little pops of daily happiness, even (especially) on the hard days.

Love,

Layne

“It is no bad thing to celebrate a simple life.”

-J.R.R Tolkien