especially in nature, like the dozen shades of green in the trees and lawns in my neighborhood. I also fixate on the colors that emerge as I play with acrylics on all kinds of surfaces, like canvas, shoes, and fabrics. The art in this calendar bridges my love of the vast brilliant colors found in nature with my new-found love of creating with acrylics.

(Image: a painting of sunflowers I completed in 2017, and revisited in 2019 and again in 2022).

the subtle and not so subtle changes signaling that nature is working its magic as Earth makes its way around the sun. At spring, I’m intoxicated by the wafting scents of jasmine from my backyard and of gardenias in the front. My legs tangle in my hammock as I lounge under the shade of the avocado tree, watching clouds drift along a cerulean blue summer sky. Autumn heralds in cooler and longer evenings, tasty pumpkin products at the grocers, and a blanket of leaves gifted to my front yard by my neighbor’s ginormous tree. Winter wraps up one year and rings in the next with a nip in the air and with calls for cozying up—baking, crocheting, crackling logs in the fire place, and the resurfacing of my many multicolored sweaters and scarves. I find myself basking in the details of one season and eagerly anticipating the next.

(Image: a selfie of me on my morning walk through my neighborhood, Altadena, California. Autumn 2022)

As I painted “Autumn Love,” I fell in love with the painting, actually, in love with LOVE. Then I had an epiphany. I announced to my paint buddies, “Let’s paint a couple in four seasons!” Over the next several months, I painted each scene with relentless dedication to the magic of the season, the magic of love, and in eager anticipation of my own Seasoned Love.

Now as I share this calendar with you, I hold in my heart the same expectation for you.

Here’s to couples in love!

(Image: My painting “Autumn Love,” 2016, revisited in 2018, revisited again in 2022)