Full disclosure: My studio hardly ever looks this clean and put together. It is, however, ALWAYS a beautiful mess with no less than a dozen projects going on at the same time. Opening the door to my studio space is deeply personal, and I’m not usually inclined to share sneak peeks, so this process has pushed me into a new area (which is what art is all about, anyway), and for that, I am deeply grateful.
For as long as I can recall, I have been blessed with having my own creative space. As a young child, my parents gave me complete access to the narrow side yard and allowed me to grow or build whatever I wanted. Over several years, I ended up with a complete flower and vegetable patch and built myself a cardboard fort under the house, where I would hide away. To this day, I still have the journal of pressed flowers and poems detailing my love for this special space. Memories of this time are very vivid, and I often find myself replicating them in my yard today.
Observation, participation and resourcefulness were key to how I grew up. My Ukrainian mother, a wholehearted impressionist painter and designer, was, and still is, the source of our entire generation leaning into the arts. Her intuitive and creative nature bled into every one of her offspring in divergent ways. She, along with my German father, were self-starters and always promoted a strong work ethic and fortitude.
My siblings and I worked long hours in the family cutting business, where we always had access to lots of fabric and imaginative items to play with. These were the days when we would make all of our own clothes and always had something new to wear. I realize now how important having endless supplies and storage is to my creative process, learning early on that anything is possible when you dream big.
And that I did. After high school, I worked as a photo model and traveled abroad for years. Immersing myself in different cultures, languages and environments taught me the importance of observation and the power of presentation, both foundational qualities that inform my approach as an artist.
After many years of that adventurous yet detached lifestyle, I felt the need to embrace reality a bit deeper, so I studied to become a registered nurse and began working with oncology patients. Witnessing so many threshold moments pushed me to further explore the other side of life’s pendulum and inspired me to transfer to labor and delivery. Here, I was able to balance out my appreciation for the circle of life. While I continued to work with moms and babies, I also invited them into my studio, where I was able to capture this precious time for them by casting their beautiful bellies in plaster. From here, my passion and enthusiasm for sculpting the human body grew.
Finally, it was time to settle down and start my own family — my biggest creative joy of all. My husband and I were immediately blessed with three wonderful girls, and we never skipped a beat. We all worked together as a modeling family for many years, shooting lifestyle campaigns here in California. Spending most of our time as a unit was a blessing, and we took the opportunity to homeschool and foster deep roots in faith, family and nature.
Living an artistic lifestyle can be complex and is never contained to an art studio. Rather, we usually found ourselves conducting lessons and adventuring outdoors as we embraced and learned about the natural world with a hands-on approach. We raised horses, chickens and cats — and now bees — here at our BlanchRanch homestead. I made sure that each girl had her own garden, remembering the impact that it had on me. Our home had become a sacred space where creativity was always embraced.
My studio is also filled with a collection of paintings done by my mother, Valentina.
When the girls and horses moved on, I discovered yet another fabulous shelter to call my own. The mare motel that once was home to our small herd of Arabians became the perfect She Shed! What joy I find within these walls, over and over again. She feels like a womb — sacred and life-giving. One of our rooftop beehives sits directly over the spot where a foal was born, creating a constant reciprocal vortex where one can feel grounded and divinely aligned at the same time. My artwork is mostly inspired by this environment. Receiving, then giving, a connectedness with spirit.
“can we speak in flowers.
it will be easier for me to understand.”
— Nayyirah Waheed
Over time, my projects have become more meaningful. In the earlier days, I was more of a maker and a generator, exploring every media possible. It all started with painting in oils, acrylics and watercolors. Then came inks, charcoal and plant dyes. That led to more botanical discoveries, with a deeper appreciation and understanding of plant life and insects.
I sculpt, pour plaster, weave vines, press flowers and build large-scale installations. … Every turn leads me further and deeper into another fascination. It took a while, but I am finally focusing on being more intuitive and learning to listen better. Finding passion and joy in so many things allows me to see them all as one without boundary. It also helps me to be more accepting and patient and to slow down (occasionally).
I am a collector (some may say hoarder) of many memorable items. I mean, they are called keepsakes for a reason! People close to me know I value them, so they keep showing up, sometimes in truckloads! I usually stack and store them in a display sort of way, waiting for the moment they call to me to create. I think I may have missed my calling to be a set designer — I love it so much.
During the pandemic, my daughter got married here at home in our old chapel, surrounded by golden poppies and vintage props. It is in these sorts of moments that I am especially grateful for all the stacked and saved belongings of yesteryear. You never know when you may need 52 silver teapots or a life-size horse on wheels!
The chapel, which we built 20 years ago, has always been a strong anchoring point for me as well as a place for growth and joy. I recently moved my custom sandbox inside to use as a raw canvas for prayerful expression. It is here where I create prayer altars out of natural and sacred artifacts, and I consider it an extension of my studio space.
The practice of nourishing spirit through nature, art and ritual seems to be a new direction that my creativity is heading in. I like to think of myself as a “prayer artisan,” and this new practice has deepened my appreciation for impermanent art and has also shaped my current work.
“All the way to heaven is heaven …”
— St. Catherine of Siena
Botanical artist Tricia Paoluccio leads a workshop.
I am not super savvy with tech, numbers or business planning, but I accept that, since for me, art is not a business. It’s my life. It’s who I am. It’s about growing into the best person I can become while sharing that with others. One way I have done that is by being an art docent for children’s classes, both for my own and now for my grandchildren. Once in a rare while, I will host adult workshops, too. (Being a curator for the local Arts in the Park program was another highlight for me. I would love to do more large-scale public installations and sculptures when the time presents itself.)
I do feel a strong call to share this fabulous space with other artisans, and it is a dream to one day perhaps open the space for an artist-in-residence type of program. With private lodging and space available, I could see what a gift it would be for someone to come spend a few weeks creating here, where earth touches heaven, and anything is possible.
“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul alike.”
— John Muir
I love collaborations! I also long to connect with more people outside my local faith community for special threshold moments, as I call them, by maybe offering photographs or memorial cards of intentional prayer pieces I create in my chapel. I do find myself spending more and more time there, and it just feels right. Not surewhat any of that looks like yet, but time will tell, so I’ll just keep praying and listening.
I love this WHERE Women Create space and would be excited to hear from you and share this journey together.
Sending joy your way!
“Joy is the best makeup …”
— Anne Lamott
Full disclosure: My studio hardly ever looks this clean and put together. It is, however, ALWAYS a beautiful mess with no less than a dozen projects going on at the same time. Opening the door to my studio space is deeply personal, and I’m not usually inclined to share sneak peeks, so this process has pushed me into a new area (which is what art is all about, anyway), and for that, I am deeply grateful.
For as long as I can recall, I have been blessed with having my own creative space. As a young child, my parents gave me complete access to the narrow side yard and allowed me to grow or build whatever I wanted. Over several years, I ended up with a complete flower and vegetable patch and built myself a cardboard fort under the house, where I would hide away. To this day, I still have the journal of pressed flowers and poems detailing my love for this special space. Memories of this time are very vivid, and I often find myself replicating them in my yard today.
Observation, participation and resourcefulness were key to how I grew up. My Ukrainian mother, a wholehearted impressionist painter and designer, was, and still is, the source of our entire generation leaning into the arts. Her intuitive and creative nature bled into every one of her offspring in divergent ways. She, along with my German father, were self-starters and always promoted a strong work ethic and fortitude.
My siblings and I worked long hours in the family cutting business, where we always had access to lots of fabric and imaginative items to play with. These were the days when we would make all of our own clothes and always had something new to wear. I realize now how important having endless supplies and storage is to my creative process, learning early on that anything is possible when you dream big.
And that I did. After high school, I worked as a photo model and traveled abroad for years. Immersing myself in different cultures, languages and environments taught me the importance of observation and the power of presentation, both foundational qualities that inform my approach as an artist.
After many years of that adventurous yet detached lifestyle, I felt the need to embrace reality a bit deeper, so I studied to become a registered nurse and began working with oncology patients. Witnessing so many threshold moments pushed me to further explore the other side of life’s pendulum and inspired me to transfer to labor and delivery. Here, I was able to balance out my appreciation for the circle of life. While I continued to work with moms and babies, I also invited them into my studio, where I was able to capture this precious time for them by casting their beautiful bellies in plaster. From here, my passion and enthusiasm for sculpting the human body grew.
Finally, it was time to settle down and start my own family — my biggest creative joy of all. My husband and I were immediately blessed with three wonderful girls, and we never skipped a beat. We all worked together as a modeling family for many years, shooting lifestyle campaigns here in California. Spending most of our time as a unit was a blessing, and we took the opportunity to homeschool and foster deep roots in faith, family and nature.
Living an artistic lifestyle can be complex and is never contained to an art studio. Rather, we usually found ourselves conducting lessons and adventuring outdoors as we embraced and learned about the natural world with a hands-on approach. We raised horses, chickens and cats — and now bees — here at our BlanchRanch homestead. I made sure that each girl had her own garden, remembering the impact that it had on me. Our home had become a sacred space where creativity was always embraced.
My studio is also filled with a collection of paintings done by my mother, Valentina.
When the girls and horses moved on, I discovered yet another fabulous shelter to call my own. The mare motel that once was home to our small herd of Arabians became the perfect She Shed! What joy I find within these walls, over and over again. She feels like a womb — sacred and life-giving. One of our rooftop beehives sits directly over the spot where a foal was born, creating a constant reciprocal vortex where one can feel grounded and divinely aligned at the same time. My artwork is mostly inspired by this environment. Receiving, then giving, a connectedness with spirit.
“can we speak in flowers.
it will be easier for me to understand.”
— Nayyirah Waheed
Over time, my projects have become more meaningful. In the earlier days, I was more of a maker and a generator, exploring every media possible. It all started with painting in oils, acrylics and watercolors. Then came inks, charcoal and plant dyes. That led to more botanical discoveries, with a deeper appreciation and understanding of plant life and insects.
I sculpt, pour plaster, weave vines, press flowers and build large-scale installations. … Every turn leads me further and deeper into another fascination. It took a while, but I am finally focusing on being more intuitive and learning to listen better. Finding passion and joy in so many things allows me to see them all as one without boundary. It also helps me to be more accepting and patient and to slow down (occasionally).
I am a collector (some may say hoarder) of many memorable items. I mean, they are called keepsakes for a reason! People close to me know I value them, so they keep showing up, sometimes in truckloads! I usually stack and store them in a display sort of way, waiting for the moment they call to me to create. I think I may have missed my calling to be a set designer — I love it so much.
During the pandemic, my daughter got married here at home in our old chapel, surrounded by golden poppies and vintage props. It is in these sorts of moments that I am especially grateful for all the stacked and saved belongings of yesteryear. You never know when you may need 52 silver teapots or a life-size horse on wheels!
The chapel, which we built 20 years ago, has always been a strong anchoring point for me as well as a place for growth and joy. I recently moved my custom sandbox inside to use as a raw canvas for prayerful expression. It is here where I create prayer altars out of natural and sacred artifacts, and I consider it an extension of my studio space.
The practice of nourishing spirit through nature, art and ritual seems to be a new direction that my creativity is heading in. I like to think of myself as a “prayer artisan,” and this new practice has deepened my appreciation for impermanent art and has also shaped my current work.
“All the way to heaven is heaven …”
— St. Catherine of Siena
Botanical artist Tricia Paoluccio leads a workshop.
I am not super savvy with tech, numbers or business planning, but I accept that, since for me, art is not a business. It’s my life. It’s who I am. It’s about growing into the best person I can become while sharing that with others. One way I have done that is by being an art docent for children’s classes, both for my own and now for my grandchildren. Once in a rare while, I will host adult workshops, too. (Being a curator for the local Arts in the Park program was another highlight for me. I would love to do more large-scale public installations and sculptures when the time presents itself.)
I do feel a strong call to share this fabulous space with other artisans, and it is a dream to one day perhaps open the space for an artist-in-residence type of program. With private lodging and space available, I could see what a gift it would be for someone to come spend a few weeks creating here, where earth touches heaven, and anything is possible.
“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul alike.”
— John Muir
I love collaborations! I also long to connect with more people outside my local faith community for special threshold moments, as I call them, by maybe offering photographs or memorial cards of intentional prayer pieces I create in my chapel. I do find myself spending more and more time there, and it just feels right. Not surewhat any of that looks like yet, but time will tell, so I’ll just keep praying and listening.
I love this WHERE Women Create space and would be excited to hear from you and share this journey together.
Sending joy your way!
“Joy is the best makeup …”
— Anne Lamott
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Full disclosure: My studio hardly ever looks this clean and put together. It is, however, ALWAYS a beautiful mess with no less than a dozen projects going on at the same time. Opening the door to my studio space is deeply personal, and I’m not usually inclined to share sneak peeks, so this process has pushed me into a new area (which is what art is all about, anyway), and for that, I am deeply grateful.
For as long as I can recall, I have been blessed with having my own creative space. As a young child, my parents gave me complete access to the narrow side yard and allowed me to grow or build whatever I wanted. Over several years, I ended up with a complete flower and vegetable patch and built myself a cardboard fort under the house, where I would hide away. To this day, I still have the journal of pressed flowers and poems detailing my love for this special space. Memories of this time are very vivid, and I often find myself replicating them in my yard today.
Observation, participation and resourcefulness were key to how I grew up. My Ukrainian mother, a wholehearted impressionist painter and designer, was, and still is, the source of our entire generation leaning into the arts. Her intuitive and creative nature bled into every one of her offspring in divergent ways. She, along with my German father, were self-starters and always promoted a strong work ethic and fortitude.
My siblings and I worked long hours in the family cutting business, where we always had access to lots of fabric and imaginative items to play with. These were the days when we would make all of our own clothes and always had something new to wear. I realize now how important having endless supplies and storage is to my creative process, learning early on that anything is possible when you dream big.
And that I did. After high school, I worked as a photo model and traveled abroad for years. Immersing myself in different cultures, languages and environments taught me the importance of observation and the power of presentation, both foundational qualities that inform my approach as an artist.
After many years of that adventurous yet detached lifestyle, I felt the need to embrace reality a bit deeper, so I studied to become a registered nurse and began working with oncology patients. Witnessing so many threshold moments pushed me to further explore the other side of life’s pendulum and inspired me to transfer to labor and delivery. Here, I was able to balance out my appreciation for the circle of life. While I continued to work with moms and babies, I also invited them into my studio, where I was able to capture this precious time for them by casting their beautiful bellies in plaster. From here, my passion and enthusiasm for sculpting the human body grew.
Finally, it was time to settle down and start my own family — my biggest creative joy of all. My husband and I were immediately blessed with three wonderful girls, and we never skipped a beat. We all worked together as a modeling family for many years, shooting lifestyle campaigns here in California. Spending most of our time as a unit was a blessing, and we took the opportunity to homeschool and foster deep roots in faith, family and nature.
Living an artistic lifestyle can be complex and is never contained to an art studio. Rather, we usually found ourselves conducting lessons and adventuring outdoors as we embraced and learned about the natural world with a hands-on approach. We raised horses, chickens and cats — and now bees — here at our BlanchRanch homestead. I made sure that each girl had her own garden, remembering the impact that it had on me. Our home had become a sacred space where creativity was always embraced.
My studio is also filled with a collection of paintings done by my mother, Valentina.
When the girls and horses moved on, I discovered yet another fabulous shelter to call my own. The mare motel that once was home to our small herd of Arabians became the perfect She Shed! What joy I find within these walls, over and over again. She feels like a womb — sacred and life-giving. One of our rooftop beehives sits directly over the spot where a foal was born, creating a constant reciprocal vortex where one can feel grounded and divinely aligned at the same time. My artwork is mostly inspired by this environment. Receiving, then giving, a connectedness with spirit.
“can we speak in flowers.
it will be easier for me to understand.”
— Nayyirah Waheed
Over time, my projects have become more meaningful. In the earlier days, I was more of a maker and a generator, exploring every media possible. It all started with painting in oils, acrylics and watercolors. Then came inks, charcoal and plant dyes. That led to more botanical discoveries, with a deeper appreciation and understanding of plant life and insects.
I sculpt, pour plaster, weave vines, press flowers and build large-scale installations. … Every turn leads me further and deeper into another fascination. It took a while, but I am finally focusing on being more intuitive and learning to listen better. Finding passion and joy in so many things allows me to see them all as one without boundary. It also helps me to be more accepting and patient and to slow down (occasionally).
I am a collector (some may say hoarder) of many memorable items. I mean, they are called keepsakes for a reason! People close to me know I value them, so they keep showing up, sometimes in truckloads! I usually stack and store them in a display sort of way, waiting for the moment they call to me to create. I think I may have missed my calling to be a set designer — I love it so much.
During the pandemic, my daughter got married here at home in our old chapel, surrounded by golden poppies and vintage props. It is in these sorts of moments that I am especially grateful for all the stacked and saved belongings of yesteryear. You never know when you may need 52 silver teapots or a life-size horse on wheels!
The chapel, which we built 20 years ago, has always been a strong anchoring point for me as well as a place for growth and joy. I recently moved my custom sandbox inside to use as a raw canvas for prayerful expression. It is here where I create prayer altars out of natural and sacred artifacts, and I consider it an extension of my studio space.
The practice of nourishing spirit through nature, art and ritual seems to be a new direction that my creativity is heading in. I like to think of myself as a “prayer artisan,” and this new practice has deepened my appreciation for impermanent art and has also shaped my current work.
“All the way to heaven is heaven …”
— St. Catherine of Siena
Botanical artist Tricia Paoluccio leads a workshop.
I am not super savvy with tech, numbers or business planning, but I accept that, since for me, art is not a business. It’s my life. It’s who I am. It’s about growing into the best person I can become while sharing that with others. One way I have done that is by being an art docent for children’s classes, both for my own and now for my grandchildren. Once in a rare while, I will host adult workshops, too. (Being a curator for the local Arts in the Park program was another highlight for me. I would love to do more large-scale public installations and sculptures when the time presents itself.)
I do feel a strong call to share this fabulous space with other artisans, and it is a dream to one day perhaps open the space for an artist-in-residence type of program. With private lodging and space available, I could see what a gift it would be for someone to come spend a few weeks creating here, where earth touches heaven, and anything is possible.
“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul alike.”
— John Muir
I love collaborations! I also long to connect with more people outside my local faith community for special threshold moments, as I call them, by maybe offering photographs or memorial cards of intentional prayer pieces I create in my chapel. I do find myself spending more and more time there, and it just feels right. Not surewhat any of that looks like yet, but time will tell, so I’ll just keep praying and listening.
I love this WHERE Women Create space and would be excited to hear from you and share this journey together.
The Women Create Foundation is a catalyst for small but significant strides to empower women creators through grants that help bring projects to life and foster innovation.
