Fluidly, massage and painting

In my work, I move fluidly between my massage and painting studios, and the two practices inform each other deeply. Recently, I completed the second pass on a large 5-foot-by-5-foot painting—a project I started about 7 months ago. Initially, I thought it was finished, but as time passed and my perspective evolved, I felt called to return, adding and subtracting layers. This process of layering—both in paint and in contemplation—mirrors the way I approach massage: each layer represents a different moment, emotion, or insight, and together, they form a rich tapestry of experience.

In both my massage therapy and my painting, I process energy through my hands. I am a visceral massage therapist and a visceral painter, and in each realm, I immerse myself in hands-on, tactile work. This dual practice is about transformation, both for my clients and for myself. One idea that continually rises to the surface is the importance of color—how it brings life, hope, and magic into spaces that are too often grey and soulless in our society. Where strip malls and stores are drained of vibrancy, I seek to restore color: it is a second birth, a renewal amid the monotony.

My experience working with thousands of people over the past 20 years has given me a unique understanding of how stress affects the human body. I feel and interpret energy in patterns and layers, much like the intricate weaving of the human form. Both my massage and painting studios are spaces where I navigate the physical, mental, and energetic realms simultaneously. The process by which I paint reflects this idea of multiple perspectives and layers of meaning, just as my bodywork does.

As I complete new pieces, I look forward to sharing more about the connections I discover between these two creative practices and the insights that emerge from working at the intersection of art and healing.