Looking back, it’s hard to believe it’s been nearly a year since I finished the first piece of my solo collection. As I embark on this journey—Soles in Their Shoes—I’ve realized that every pair tells a story, and there was no better place to start than with my sister, Morgen.
The Inspiration: A Lifetime of Shoes
Morgen is a significant reason this collection even exists. She has always kept a massive collection of shoes, but not for the reasons you might think. To her, they aren’t just fashion; they are vessels for memories. She kept them because they reminded her of specific moments, milestones, and the people she loved.
Growing up, we were inseparable. Being only two years apart, we shared a room until she left for college at 18. While we had our differences, our roots were grown in the same soil:
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A love for horses
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Getting lost in books
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A shared obsession with art
Capturing "The Girl I Knew"
When I sat down to paint Morgen, I wasn't just painting a person; I was painting a memory of the girl I knew when we were kids.
I can still see her clearly: sitting on our front porch in her favorite cowgirl boots, her long brown hair catching the light, completely focused on drawing eyes in her sketchpad. That image the intersection of her artistic soul and her signature boots became the heart of this piece.
A Full Circle Moment
A year later, the "journey of soles" has taken me further than I imagined. I am so thrilled to share that Morgen found its forever home. Through my collaboration with the 1904 Gallery in Braselton, GA, this piece was acquired by a truly wonderful collector.
