Trusting Inspiration + A Peek at New Art and Life Lately

Hi Friends,

Sometimes in art (and life), you have to trust your gut. In this newsletter, I’m sharing a creative lesson I’ve been thinking about lately, what I’ve been watching and listening to, a little update from our homestead, and exciting news about my debut novel, One Red Arrow. Thank you for reading and for your on-going support!

♡ Caitlyn

🎨 Title: Rainy Weekend

This piece was fun to create. This past Saturday was rainy and gray. I found myself lounging around the house, eating snacks, and hanging out with our cat. At some point, an image popped into my head: an alien in a robe, sharing pizza with a cat, binge-watching Netflix. There’s probably more emotion there than I’m writing. I think I am often better at (or more comfortable) showing creatively how I feel rather than saying it.

This piece felt relatable and definitely captured the vibe of the weekend.

Lately, I’ve had the song “Appaloosa Bones” by Gregory Alan Isakov on repeat. It’s folky, ethereal, and absolutely beautiful. Honestly, the entire album feels like a work of art - you can get lost in it for hours.

We’re in the middle of watching the show Wayward Pines for the first time, and I can't believe I haven’t seen it until now. It’s so up my alley - a perfect mix of thriller, mystery, and sci-fi, produced by M. Night Shyamalan. I was convinced I had seen it before, but somehow it completely slipped under my radar. Warning: it’s definitely dark and has some violent scenes. But if you're into eerie, edge-of-your-seat stories, it’s incredibly addictive. I’m completely hooked!

In my last newsletter, I shared how I’ve been learning to slow down and take a step back to make sure each piece of art I create truly captures what I want it to say. But there’s a counter-lesson too: sometimes, inspiration strikes fast. Over the years, I’ve realized that if you create something that you love, don’t overthink it, don’t overanalyze it. Let it live and breathe as it is. A piece of art isn’t better just because it took longer or required more effort. Sometimes the most honest, powerful work comes quick and you have to trust it.

Some of my most popular, viral, and successful pieces were created in a moment of inspiration - no second-guessing, no overthinking. Then, I trusted myself enough to let them out into the world.

The art piece below, Arrival, was a piece I made almost instantly. I just knew what I wanted it to be. I didn’t make it for likes or to sell - I actually didn’t really think it would be very popular. It turned out to be my most successful piece ever.

Our little homestead is coming to life! The flower beds are filling with flowers, the birds are back, the hens are laying, and we’re spending much more time outdoors. Our little boy, Brooks, is officially crawling and absolutely loves visiting all of his animal friends.
Our newest goat, Ginny, is settling in wonderfully and already feels like part of the family. We’ve also been busy reinforcing the pig enclosure and clearing some land to create more space for everyone to play and roam.

Pictured below are a few of our farm friends - and our cat, Ripley (named after the movie Alien, of course), since I mentioned her earlier in the newsletter. I hope you’re all soaking up the warmer weather too!

ICYMI - My Kickstarter has officially ended and was fully funded! Thank you all so much! My debut novel, One Red Arrow, is now in the hands of the editor for professional editing! Publishing plans and the audiobook production are already underway. I’m so excited to share that the book will officially be released on August 21, 2025.