Sitting Still: Finding Home in My Todos Santos Art Gallery

For a long time, my life was built around movement. I spent over 10 years traveling, meeting people from all over the world, living out of a suitcase and figuring out the situation as I went.

There was always someone new to meet and a new culture to experience around the corner. I loved that life, and in many ways, it shaped the artist I am today.

But lately, I’ve found myself falling in love with literally the opposite.

There is something quite lovely about staying in one place long enough to really get to know it. To see the speed bumps wear down, to have a routine, to see familiar faces driving down the street, and to build something that feels uniquely yours. Instead of traveling to meet people, I now open the doors of my gallery and people come to me.

And honestly, I’m just loving it!

Every day brings a different conversation. People wander in from all over the world, each with their own stories, plans, and reasons for finding themselves in Todos Santos. Some come looking for a painting, others are simply curious, and quite often we end up talking about much more than art.

I still get to meet people from around this beautiful world, hear about their lives, and make unexpected connections (like meeting my second cousins!). The difference is that I get to do it all from a place I love, surrounded by the work I’ve given part of myself to create.

After so many years of chasing the next experience, there is something satisfying about watching something grow right in front of me. The gallery has become a place where my love of travel, art, and people all meet. It gives me a reason to put down roots without feeling like I’ve lost the freedom that came with being on the move.

I think I used to associate staying still with missing out. You know, the FOMO. There was always the feeling that something exciting might be happening somewhere else, and I should probably be there.

Now, I am able to appreciate that there is just as much to discover when staying put: the mind first and foremost, community connection and the the seasons are just a few that come to mind.

Of course, I still love packing a bag and disappearing somewhere new (especially when there are waves!). I know that part of me isn’t going anywhere but I’m learning a good life doesn’t always have to be about what comes next.

 Sometimes, it’s about making the most of what you have and it can be that simple.

For now, I’m happy to be in here, painting, opening the gallery each morning, meeting the people who walk through the door and seeing where it all leads. It turns out you don't always have to go looking for the world, sometimes, you just have to open your doors and let it find you.

If you happen to be passing through Todos Santos, come visit me in the Gallery!