Slow Burn
A blog by an artist — for artists, and for anyone who believes (or is learning to believe) that meaningful work takes time.
Welcome.
Slow Burn is an evolving, contemplative space for thinking through art, practice, and the kinds of questions that resist quick answers. It began as a place to reflect on my own work—both in the studio and through research—but it’s becoming something more: a quiet archive of process, slowness, and the long, often uncertain road of making meaningful things.
Here, time is not an enemy, but a material. This blog is part journal, part sketchbook, part letter to fellow artists and thinkers. Over time, you’ll find essays, studio notes, and reflections on process, teaching, and the seasons of a creative life. Some posts draw from personal experience, others from theory, history, and the words of artists and writers I admire.
What ties everything together is this: a deep commitment to trusting time—to allowing ideas, practices, and artworks to unfold at their own pace. There’s no rush here. No pressure to arrive quickly or perform clarity before it’s real. Just an invitation to linger, to notice, and to create from where you are.
If you’re someone who values depth over speed, process over perfection, and the slow, strange beauty of becoming — you’re in the right place.
Thank you for being here.
Aren’t You Going to Paint Something Pretty?
What place does difficult imagery have in a world that often demands beauty and ease? This piece explores the tension between visual appeal and emotional weight — and what’s lost when we expect art to only be “pretty.”
Art as Constant
Making art isn't always about inspiration — often, it's about discipline, doubt, and returning anyway. Reflections on why we keep showing up to create.
Transitions, Transitions, Transitions…
Big moves, new beginnings, and uncertain transitions. After a decade away from Scotland, I’ve moved to Glasgow — a city that feels both familiar and foreign — and am preparing to settle into a new studio space by October.
What Cutting Out the Noise Taught Me About Creative Work
For a few weeks, I stepped away from my creative routine to focus only on finding a job. What I expected was clarity. What I got was something deeper — a new understanding of the invisible load I carry just to sustain a creative life.
From Imposter Syndrome to Reconnection: A Quiet Return to Painting
A personal reflection on navigating imposter syndrome and creative disconnection — and how a quiet return to painting helped me reconnect with my work.
Passion and Pay: Living Life as an Artist with a Job
Balancing creative work with a full-time job can feel impossible—but it doesn’t have to mean giving up your practice. This post reflects on what it means to stay true to your artistic self, even when life pulls you in many directions.
Reflections on Artistic Time
Reflecting on how artistic time isn’t linear, this post invites you to trust your creative process and embrace your own unique pace.
Where We Work: Studios, Shifts, and the Space Between
Without a dedicated studio, I’ve learned to create in fragments and embrace the in-between spaces. This post explores how making art isn’t about the perfect place, but about showing up with what you have—wherever you are.
To the Artist Who Feels Behind
Feeling behind or unsure in our creative work is something many artists face. This post is a gentle reminder to embrace the messy process, practice patience, and keep showing up — even when it feels hard.
Beginning Again: Art, Uncertainty, and Small Leaps
After years of dipping in and out of writing, I’m starting a blog again — this time with a little more patience for the process of sharing and reflection.