Joy in the Small, the Unexpected, and the Slightly Awkward
After 7 days of this whole joy thing , it turns out, joy isn’t just in the obvious moments. It’s in textures you can’t resist touching, flowers blooming even when no one’s watching, and sending slightly unhinged memes to the right person. It’s in connection—the delightful, the cringey, the spontaneous “just thinking of you” that reminds someone they matter.
So let’s get into it—Week 2 of Joy-Mongering, where we embrace the texture of life, the fleeting beauty of blooms, and the occasional social interaction (with boundaries, of course). Yes you can touch the art. No you can’t touch the artist. Not a hugger. I have a different take on hugging below.
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DAY 8: Gratitude
Thankful for these A-Holes. On this day I was grateful for so many things but especially my cats. man, they make me laugh. Here’s a video of Pimento attacking Cookies tail while she is trying to enjoy the birds outside.
You can read more about gratitude and my take on it in the post. Use #joymonger to see all the posts from all the joy mongers taking part in 21 days Of Joy.
Day 9: Random Acts Of Kindness
BE THE SPANISH INQUISITION. Because… No one expects the Spanish Inquisition—or for you to hold the door open when they’re still ten feet away, forcing them into that awkward half-run.
I act aloof, like I don’t care—but the truth is, I do. Maybe too much. And because of that, it’s not that I hate humans… I’m just perpetually disappointed. I can’t change people, but I can choose to be the kind of person who makes someone’s day a little better. Who knows what one small act of kindness can grow into?
These folks have made my day better on more than one occasion. They have supported me and my art career every step of the way. They don’t ask they just do. Every open studio, Ballroom Blitz, Cocktails and Canvases, they are there in some way, even if not in person.
Kindness isn’t just for the soft and squishy. It’s for the ones who act indifferent but secretly feel everything. The ones who’d rather be underestimated than predictable. The ones who get a little thrill out of disrupting the ordinary with something unexpected—like, say, human decency.
Thank you, and keep paying it forward. I know I will.
Day 10: Touch – Yes, You Can Touch the Art
Some things are meant to be admired from afar. My art isn’t one of them. Me? That’s a different story—no hugging.
Art isn’t just for looking. It’s for feeling.
I see it all the time—people standing in front of my artwork, hands twitching, that polite Canadian hesitation written all over their faces. They want to touch the art. And the best part? They actually can.
My art is textured, raw, built to be experienced. Sure, the sculpted roses are a bit fragile, but I can always fix them. The heart of the piece? It’s solid.
There’s something grounding about running your fingers over a piece of art. Feeling the ridges, the grooves, the weight of it. It’s real. It exists outside of a screen, beyond a perfect little square on Instagram. And isn’t that what we all crave? Something tangible, something that connects us to here, now.
So go ahead. Touch the art. Trace the lines. Feel the weight of it. Because art isn’t just about seeing—it’s about feeling. (Just don’t mistake this as permission to hug me. The art is the only one getting that privilege.)
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DAY 11: Blooms – Beauty, Defiance, and the Truth They Tell
A flower doesn’t ask for attention. It simply blooms. And you notice.
Flowers show up in my artwork a lot—roses, in particular (just look at the images). They’re more than just decoration. They’re everything. The contrast, the contradiction, the reminder that life is fleeting and beautiful because of it.
Pair them with skulls, and the message deepens. Life and death. Delicate and unbreakable. Fleeting and eternal. A rose wilts, but in its bloom, it demands attention. A skull lingers, long after the life it held is gone. Together, they tell the truth: you are here now—so live like it.
Maybe that’s why I can’t resist adding flowers to my work. They soften the edges, balance the weight of mortality with something wild and alive. They remind us that even in winter, buried under snow, life is waiting to bloom again. That beauty isn’t just about how long something lasts, but how boldly it shows up in the time it has.
So today, seek out flowers—real, painted, photographed. A single bloom in a cracked sidewalk. A bouquet that refuses to be ignored. Something that reminds you to be here now. Because time is moving, whether you notice it or not.🌹💀
DAY 12: Connect Virtually
Real connection is just two imperfect people refusing to give up on each other… and occasionally sending each other unhinged memes at 2 AM.“
Reaching out randomly to people is weird, isn’t it? You want to, but then you overthink it.
What if it’s awkward? What if they don’t respond? What if I accidentally send ‘Love you’ to my gallery?
So you don’t. You wait for the perfect moment. The perfect reason. But connection isn’t about perfection—it’s about existing in each other’s lives on purpose.
So today, send the text. Share the meme. Call your mom (seriously though, call your mom). DM that person who hypes you up in the comments. Relationships—friendships, family, all of it—aren’t built on grand gestures. They’re built on those random thinking-of-you moments. The ones that remind people they matter.
And if calling someone sounds like too much human interaction? That’s what GIFs are for.
DAY 13: Hug– But Only If You Want To
Not a hugger—unless you’re my kid or cats. Then prepare for relentless, borderline suffocating affection. You’ll survive.
How appropriate that Day 13 is all about hugs—because you know I’m taking this a different way.
Yes, hugging releases all kinds of happy brain juice. Yes, it can trigger feelings of security and well-being. But here’s the thing: only when it’s wanted. Otherwise? It’s less “warm embrace” and more “why is this happening to me?”
For some, a hug is a casual, nonchalant thing. For others (hi, it’s me), it’s… an event. Not everyone wants to be wrapped up like a human burrito, junk to junk, and that’s okay. Consent applies to hugs too.
So today, if you’re into hugs, go for it—hug yourself, a tree, your favorite person (if they’re into it). And if you’re not a hugger?
That’s fine too. Find comfort in a different way.
Connection isn’t one-size-fits-all, and joy comes in many forms—sometimes, it’s in the space we’re given, not just the arms we’re wrapped in.
Day 14: Movie – Forced Family Fun time
This one’s easy—we’ve been forcing this joy on our kids for years. Forced Family Fun Time every Sunday, no exceptions. (photo was from 2013!!!)
It started because The Wonderful World of Disney was a staple in both our childhoods, so we made our own version with the kids.
Even now, in their late teens and twenties, they know exactly what Sunday means. They used to grumble, but we’d just remind them—that’s why it’s called forced.
Joy isn’t just in the big moments—it’s in the rituals, the inside jokes, the traditions that stick whether we plan them or not.
Whether it’s a childhood comfort movie, a weekly routine, or just forcing your loved ones to spend time together, these small moments add up. They become the stories we tell, the memories we hold onto. And sometimes, the best traditions are the ones we make them participate in.
What did I learn this week?
This week was all about connection—the quiet kind, the messy kind, the kind you don’t always realize you need. It’s in the small moments: a thank-you, a random act of kindness, the way a familiar movie feels like home. It’s in reaching out, in choosing to notice, in finding joy where you are. Whether through touch, tradition, or a well-timed sarcastic text, connection reminds us that we’re here, together. And that? That’s everything.
P.S. SPRING CLEANING—A RARE COLLECTOR’S OPPORTUNITY. A select collection of small works and works on paper are now available for acquisition. For a limited time, you have the chance to make an offer—within reason—on small originals & works on paper. The listed prices reflect their true value, but this is your opportunity to add to your collection in a way that feels right for you.
This isn’t about clearing stock; it’s about making space for the next evolution of my work. Once these are gone, they won’t be offered again. Serious collectors this is your moment. Join the VIP LIST to view the entire collection.
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Image credit: https://www.jessicalin.ca/