The Cookie Bake

Inspiration can come from anything—from people, nature, mentors. One thing that particularly inspires me is baking—especially baking cookies.

At the end of every year, I do my traditional cookie bake. After finishing up a gigantic bake (thousands of cookies!) last year, I sat down to create a new piece of art.

I selected three colors of paper, antique lace, and acrylic paint. I cut random shapes, covered them with lace, and painted them. I then placed the pieces together—it was a bit like solving a jigsaw puzzle. 

After they were placed, I glued them down on a black background. Done! And “Gingerbread Swirl” (Geometry Gallery) was born.

As I was creating this piece, I was unaware that my cookie baking was the driving inspiration. The shapes and their lace coverings reminded me of the chocolate decorations and various frostings that I use to embellish my shortbread cookies. 

When I free my mind of distractions, my hands can move without hindrance. This results in a process that has a gentle free flow. A quiet mind and focus are the main ingredients to my creative process and my art.