Communication is tricky. Even when you know what you want to say, and you think you’re being clear, you can be misunderstood.

It’s harder when you’re not exactly sure what you’re trying to say.

Imagine trying to say something with pictures alone.

Can you feel the level of difficulty mounting?

Such is the case of my latest imagery, the BlockHeads.

The BlockHeads came to me in a dream. They woke me up and got me out of bed so I could sketch them.

On my way back to bed, I thought, “there is NO way I would have forgotten what they look like. I did NOT have to get out of bed for this!”

By morning, I’d completely forgotten them.

Three days later, out of the corner of my eye, I saw them peering at me from my midnight drawing.

I was smitten, but had no idea of what to do with them or why they’d chosen me as their artist. They don’t feel silly and frivolous, but what are they trying to tell me?

Two days before the entry date of the Hawaii Watercolor Society's Open Exhibit, I awoke “knowing" I was to create a 3-D pyramid featuring the BlockHeads.

I was psyched! I’d never thought of painting anything 3-D before and this was the first time I could enter something 3-D into an HWS Exhibit without breaking rules.

It took two days for me to finish and photograph it for entry.

To hedge my bets on getting something into the show, I entered two additional, paintings: “Anuenue Ali`i Wahine”, and a portrait of my artist friend Ron Kent titled, “Whole World”.

I was surprised when the pyramid was the only painting accepted.

Yes, it's a bit crude, yet it feels fresh and alive.

But what do the BlockHeads mean?

And why do they have six eyes?

I believe the BlockHeads represent all of us. When all of the eyes are all looking in the same direction, we are Hyper-focused on the task at hand.

Omni-focus happens when we’re “out of focus”, or focusing on more than one thing. This happens to all of us. We might be brushing our teeth, going to the bathroom, or even sleeping, when suddenly an idea pops into our head.

My artist friend Holly says the top set of eyes is for looking up to the heavens for guidance, the middle set of eyes sees this plane of existence, and the bottom set of eyes is for introspection.

Whatever their initial reason for entering my dreams, the BlockHeads are here to stay. They insert themselves into my journal and dreams weekly.

Please let me know if they show up in yours!

A trip to the “Big Island” of Hawai`i is always exhilarating, and my July trip was over-the-top amazing!

Each of the Hawaiian Islands has its own personality. Like siblings in a family, no two are alike.

Hawai`i Island is the largest of all of the islands. In fact, all of the other islands would fit inside of it (as if that were possible).

Hawai`i is rugged, rural, majestic, and home to the most active volcano on Earth.

Two exhibits on the Kona side of the island prompted my July trip.

Tiffany DeEtte Shafto is doing a great job presenting my art to a wider audience. She hung my art at both The Four Seasons Hualalai and Henderson House at the Shops in Mauna Lani.

I stayed at the Four Seasons for one night and Ohmygoodness there are so many reasons it is consistently rated the BEST resort in the world!

The beauty, luxurious accommodations, sumptuous grounds, the happy, friendly people, the yummy food, much of which is grown on the resort and the island, are all top notch!

This is the view at dawn from our cabana at the Four Seasons Hualalai

It is paradise on steroids!

Teaching a watercolor class at the Four Seasons was great fun and very rewarding.

Me, Jeanette, & Mike in front of my painting, "Miles from Nowhere", at Henderson House

I am thrilled to have my abstract paintings hanging in the showcase design environment of Henderson House in The Shops at Mauna Lani.

Me and Rebecca Snow relaxing in the middle of a long, exciting day at the Four Seasons.

Rebecca Snow, my friend, fellow artist, and studio-mate, joined me on the trip. It was her first time to Hawai`i Island so we stayed a few extra days with my cousins Mike and Jeanette in Captain Cook.

Mike gave us a tour of their orchard of bananas, oranges, tangerines, mango, avocado, Kona coffee, Ulu, and Pamelo. Jeanette’s healthy meals gave us a delicious respite between the hectic exhibit schedules.

We rose at 2:30AM on Saturday so Mike could drive us to the southern tip of the island to see the glowing Kilauea caldera and watch the sun rise on Mauna Loa. It was breath taking!

The energy of life renewing itself is evident all over the world, in every backyard. That same energy feels amplified on the Big Island.

The contrast of birth/renewal and death happens simultaneously all around us. Our lives become that much sweeter when we realize it’s up to us to pick up the reins and make each path our own.

Putting things off does us no service. Living life is a verb. Creating a life that matters is actionable.

Let’s all take the action we need to take today to make the most of our time here on Earth!

We are meant to continue to grow, becoming more of our REAL selves here on Earth!