Sketch A Day Drawing Challenge: 161- Little Red House

“I grew up in the house from birth through 18 when I moved from college. My mom owned it since shortly after she had my brother, who was 4 years older than me. She was probably 20 when she moved in, and probably lived there for 40 years. My mom put a lot of love into the house. She always thought of it as a cozy cottage house, and tried to give it a bit of a wooded look. The house was always most decorated at Christmas, which was a special time. We were lower middle income and fairly strapped, but my mom always went overboard on Christmas. The inside of the house looked like a fully decorated Christmas store. Always fresh baked cookies. The house absorbed a lot of pain in a way that helped the family feel better… ” – Erick

LittleRedHouseWEB

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Author Box 04
About the Artist

I am an advocate first, and an artist second. My paintings create visual comfort-- spaces where grief, hope, and healing can live together without apology...

I paint what matters most: the people you cherish, the moments that shaped you, the feelings that need witness. Through art, your most precious memories move outside of you and into your home, where they can be held, seen, and never forgotten.

My work is rooted in three commitments: honoring the experiences of indigenous communities and the history of the land we inhabit; creating safe space for children and women whose voices have been silenced; and recording the honest truth of lived experience-- both my own and that of those who came before me. I believe art has the power to tell stories that words alone cannot, and to preserve what must not be lost or forgotten. I believe that all that we know about ourselves is because Art has preserved those stories throughout history, outliving those who created it.

When you encounter my work, I hope you find yourself in it-- not as escape, but as recognition. I hope it reminds you that your feelings matter, that your story deserves to be held, and that compassion and truth are still worth carrying forward.

Art is the voice that speaks honestly through the heart. 💝🪷