Last month, I took a solo road trip out to West Texas to visit my mom and stepdad for Mother’s Day. Mom and I made plans in advance to spend time painting together – something we’ve never done before. She’s a self-taught acrylic painter who has been creating and evolving as an artist for the last 20 years, so I was excited to learn from her. But what I didn’t expect to learn was that for me, connection fills my creative well. In this post, I’m sharing about that experience and how undivided attention from and with loved ones has fueled more creativity.

The Power of a Shared Creative Experience

After a hearty egg and sausage breakfast, Mom and I got set up in her studio around 9 am. The natural light poured in through the large window behind us as Mom made room for my table-top easel. I pulled up a chair and excitedly perused all of her brushes, knives, and colorful paints organized on the wall in one of those old shoe organizers you hang on a closet door. It was a perfect way to display the many shades of various colors and keep the workspace clear.

I had already traced the outline for my painting onto my canvas before arriving so I could jump right into painting, so I began selecting a few colors to start with a sunset background. Mom had a big canvas on her easel next to me, and before we started squirting paint onto our palettes, she hit play on her favorite CD with Native American flute music and nature sounds.

Feeling a little hesitation since this was my first attempt at a serious canvas painting, I dipped my brush in orange and began painting the sunlit clouds. Mom had already prepped her canvas the day before, too – her’s was covered in molding paste giving it a rich texture. She started painting with the same orange color, using big flowing strokes in all directions. She was giddy about her project and even more happy that I was there with her. We continued painting, hardly speaking to each other until I had a question or she needed to step back and review her progress. One of us commented about how quiet we both were, then we agreed that we were enjoying our intent focus together.

My heart seemed to swell inside me, feeling a deep sense of compassion and gratitude – for her as much as for our shared creative activity. And I noticed that I felt closer to her than ever before.

I guess some of the most powerful conversations require no words at all.

We painted together for five hours! I lost sense of time until we both needed a break. Plus, my stepdad had grilled some steaks and baked sweet potatoes for a special Mother’s Day lunch. (One thing’s for sure – I eat well when I visit!) When we came back after lunch and a nap, Mom helped me blend my colors and showed me some techniques for painting grass with a blender brush. As we put the final touches on my painting, I felt so proud of how it turned out.

This painting is of Brutus, a beloved longhorn who lived on a friend’s ranch. It’s a gift for someone who loved him deeply – and it’s now a gift from two artists: my mom and me.

The Ripple Effect of Undivided Attention

I’ve always known that quality time and deep conversation are my love languages – but I hadn’t realized just how hungry I’d been for that kind of presence. In a world of constant notifications and half-attention, the gift of undivided time is rare – and it nourished something in me I didn’t know needed tending.

After visiting my mom and stepdad, I drove a couple of hours to my aunt’s house in another small town in the Texas Hill Country. After scarfing down some homemade chicken salad, I sat for hours talking with her and her husband. We talked about the old days, yard projects, self-driving cars and AI, and shared photos of this and that as we told more stories and played with their dog, Max. I stayed one night, then continued my drive for one last stop at my dad’s house before heading home.

Dad and I walked around his garden, inspecting the plants to find the first ripe tomato and lots of other little veggies growing. Then we sat in plastic chairs in the front yard and visited for another hour. It was so relaxing.

Family, Stories, and the Unexpected Fuel of Creativity

As I talked with my family members across the weekend, I noticed something inside myself lighting up each time – not just because we were connecting with each other, but because I felt a deeper connection with my ancestral stories. And by “lighting up,” I mean a burst of creative energy has been flowing out of me! Since then, I’ve been busy jotting down random ideas for art pieces, writing projects, and content creation. I also had a more active dream life for several nights.

The really cool thing?

I feel more deeply connected with myself – it’s as if time with my elders has given me a more wholistic experience of who I am and where I come from. It’s grounding me. This slow, intentional presence has helped me access a more whole, connected version of myself.

Art and Connection as a Path to Wholeness

This experience has me thinking and wondering.

What happens when we make space for creativity with others?

I’ve been hosting Slow Second Saturdays at my house once per month since March. I lead my friends through a short qigong practice before feeding them a big waffle breakfast, and then we all sit down with the crafts or art project of our choice and create together. This has been incredibly nourishing for me and for others attending. I did this, at first, as a way to express my love for friends and invite others to explore some of the practices that have had such a transformational impact on my life.

But now, I’m seeing how creating in company seems to unlock something else.

It creates an exponential value of rest and focus.

An Invitation for You

Hey, maybe this is just me, but this blog is meant to be a place where I share what I’m learning and invite you to join me in experiments. Together, we can search for ways to ignite our creativity, sharpen our focus, and create space for more of what matters most in life.

So, let’s experiment with shared creative time and see what emerges – not for productivity, but for presence. For wholeness. For connection that spans generations, nourishes the soul, and reminds us of who we are… beyond the hustle, beyond the noise.

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