The Language of Knowing — A Love Letter to Books, Learning, and Growth
Hanging The Language of Knowing collection at the Mount Lake Terrace Library. Prints available [here]
In 2010, I had the opportunity to be featured at the Mountlake Terrace Library for a solo show. Back then, I scrambled to gather enough art to show, so I called it Pieces of My Life, because that’s exactly what it was.
Fast forward to 2025. When I was invited again, I chose my month and gave myself a whole year to prepare. You’d think that would be plenty of time, right? It was… and it wasn’t. Creative work has its own rhythm. But I’m so pleased to see how much my art has evolved and how meaningful it felt to build a collection intentionally designed to complement the venue.
As I hung my art and shared my theme with the librarians, they mentioned no one had displayed a show like this before. I was surprised, I hadn’t thought of it as something new. Books surround us there, yet each person’s experience with them is deeply personal. The same book can meet us differently each time we open it, revealing new layers, new meanings, as if it has been waiting to speak to who we are at that moment. Maybe it was that meaning behind my paintings, either way it made me smile.
With The Language of Knowing, I wanted to craft a visual love letter to books, reading, and learning; and it became a celebration of how stories and ideas shape us, transport us, and widen our horizons.
To begin, I brainstormed and collected reference photos of people of all ages reading. I’ve always loved candid moments, they hold emotion. Thanks to the generous artists at Unsplash, a lot of inspiration came together quickly. Add in a little people-watching (and my own love of cozy reading moments), and the ideas began to grow.
One Sunday, I looked over at my husband reading on the couch with our dog curled up beside him, and I thought: Yes, this is what I want to capture. Little, everyday moments that reflect the joy and quiet magic of reading.
The Magic of a Book — 22 x 30, acrylic on panel (SOLD)
It began during a sketch group visit to the library. I decided to draw the shelves in front of me, book by book. What I thought would be tedious turned out to be a delight. As I sketched, I imagined a kid curious enough to open a book right then and there in the middle of the shelves, tippy toeing to see it well and finding the thing he didn’t know he needed. Seemed like a magical moment, but how do I convey magic without making it cheesy. A few sketches later I had the idea and prayed I could paint it. I tackled this painting first, the biggest and most complicated and it lit the way for the rest. Want a print? Go [here}
Catch Meaning — 20 x 20, acrylic (SOLD)
This piece reflects how ideas are formed: one letter, one word at a time. The figure is catching the letters she wants, those form words on the world where she is standing (I did spell a few powerful ones there, but scrambled them to make them not descriptive) I am partial to this painting as I used a picture of my daughter for reference and love the whole concept myself. Prints available [here]
Gotta Start Somewhere — 18 x 18, acrylic
If you’ve ever had a pile of unread books on your nightstand, you’ll understand this one. Inspired by both my own stack and my friends’, this painting depicts a lifelong learner (or maybe someone catching up on their book club reading). Either way, it’s about making time to sit down, open a book, and lose yourself in it.
Learning’s Path — 16 x 16, acrylic
This abstract piece started with the word READ handwritten in many languages. The overlaps formed intricate paths, reminding me how learning a new language can open doors to new worlds. I softened the pattern with color blocking to guide the eye, letting the pathways tell the story of the twist and turns of learning.
Words to Hold On To — 18 x 18, acrylic
This painting weaves lettering and emotion together. I used short, powerful words: Know, Love, Trust, and frame them with words in English and Spanish that spill over the border and are half covered to keep the suspense… so much I forgot what I wrote for a minute. Notice the transparency of the paper and how part of the hands show through, I was pleased how they turned out. The hands cradle the message, reminding us to hold on to what matters. As I added the lettering, I asked myself: Do I know, love, and trust myself?
Imagine — 20 x 16, acrylic
This piece began with the full English alphabet as a background, creating a puzzle of shapes and colors. I had a lot of fun playing with the 4 main colors (and painting each border with one), combining them, and making sure the same color didn’t touch. The pattern was electrifying, but got too busy, so I played with negative painting different words, IMAGINE was the winner. On your face but also hiding. An invitation to dream.
Patterns of Knowledge — 22 x 28, acrylic
And finally, the painting representing learning and understanding.
Do you notice the pattern on the background? It is the same pattern on her dress connecting her to the history behind her, the colored pattern emphasizing what is in the present. And there is a faint pattern on the tablecloth for what is to come. I chose pomegranates as an anchor for their lovely shape and symbolism (wisdom, fruitfulness, abundance and prosperity) and they are in the background = past, the figure = present, and the table = the future.
She is reading and actively taking notes because learning takes action. I know her notes are empty, so I hope you take a minute to think about: what knowledge am I collecting?
This collection is deeply personal. It’s a love story between learning and living, between the quiet moments we spend with a book and the way those moments shape who we become.
I hope The Language of Knowing sparks curiosity, conversation, or a memories of your own. Many of these original paintings are available for purchase, and prints are available in my shop or click [here]. I have a whole stack of new sketches waiting to be painted, so this may just be the beginning of an ongoing collection.
Thank you to the Mountlake Terrace Library for hosting this show, and to everyone who continues to believe in the magic of books, art, and learning.
How do you like to learn? What would you recommend us to read?
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