34: Drawing Connections

2026 Theme, Podcast Season 2, Courses, US Shipping

Hi friend,

This time of year changes how I approach drawing. With my first in-person course coming up in mid-January, I’ve been drawing with more intent, paying closer attention to what I’m seeing and why I’m making certain choices.

Once the leaves dropped, the neighbourhood shifted fast. Branches read like maps. Old bird nests appeared as quiet artifacts. Sightlines that were hidden all summer opened up. With less visual noise, shape, spacing, and structure become easier to see.

The pond followed suit. It stayed dry right up to the first hard freeze, then filled and locked in almost overnight. Now it’s solid and skate-ready. With temperatures sitting around −20 °C, winter has settled in fully. The cold sharpens everything: light, edges, silence. It slows your hand and rewards careful looking, and that has been feeding directly back into my drawing.

Here’s what’s been happening.

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Studio notes

A few recent studies have been shaping my thinking as I prep for the January course.

• Great horned owl study: I started with the owl, but the stump and snow became the real problem. Hard structure held inside soft value transitions. Look closely, do you see the image of the owl eyes and beak below the actual owl. Also, spot the little footprints leading to a friend hiding underneath.

• Griffon vulture study: An unfamiliar subject that forced me to slow down and draw what was there, not what I expected to see. Enjoyed playing with graphite powder and a makeup brush.

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• Opossum study: I spent far longer than planned on this one, but it was a good reminder that some drawings ask for patience. Negative space, overlapping forms, and pushing depth without overworking the surface. Sure I could have spent even more time on this but I learned what I needed and time to move to the next.

A broader graphite reminder keeps showing up across all three:

Most progress comes from adjustment, not addition. Moving graphite, blending it, and lifting it back out often matters more than putting more down.

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My 2026 theme: Resonance

For 2026, my theme is Resonance. It’s a direct continuation of my 2025 theme, Connection. A theme gives you a North Star. It sits above goals and plans and helps you make decisions when things get busy, unclear, or noisy.

In 2025, I focused on building connection:

• Connection to the natural subjects I’m studying

• Connection to my practice through consistency

• Connection to other artists, and to you, through teaching, sharing, and conversation

That theme shaped what I said yes to. It also made it easier to say no.

Why a theme helps your practice

A theme is not a goal and it’s not a productivity trick. It’s a filter. When you’re deciding what to draw, what to learn next, or which opportunities to take on, your theme gives you something steady to lean on.

A good theme:

• Keeps you pointed in one direction across a full year

• Reduces decision fatigue

• Helps you notice patterns in your work

• Gives meaning to small, repeated efforts

When motivation dips, your theme stays put. You return to it and keep moving.

From Connection to Resonance

In 2026, I want to be more intentional about what lasts. What stays with you after the moment passes? That’s resonance.

What do I mean by resonance?

In sound, resonance is what lingers after the initial note.

In art, resonance is what remains after the first look: a feeling, a memory, a question, or the urge to pick up your pencil.

In teaching, resonance is what students carry forward after the class ends. Not the exercise itself, but the way of seeing, the decisions they know how to make, and the confidence to keep going on their own.

How this theme shapes my work and teaching

• More series, fewer one-offs, so ideas have time to settle

• More return visits to the same subjects, showing how learning deepens

• More intentional editing in the studio and in course design

• More process shared, because resonance comes from seeing choices, not results

Everything I’m building in 2026, the studio work, the courses, the podcast, and Patreon, is guided by the same theme. I want the work to stay with you. I want it to matter after the moment has passed.

If you’ve never tried working with a theme, consider choosing one for yourself this year. Not to limit your practice, but to give it a clear centre you can return to, again and again.

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Important Update for U.S. Art Collectors

Good news: I’ve reopened my online store for U.S. orders, and I’ll be adding more originals and print work over the next few weeks.

What you need to know

U.S. import rules and enforcement shifted earlier this year. Many collectors began seeing unexpected customs fees on international shipments, especially from small studios.

I’ve moved to ChitChats shipping, which I’ve used successfully in the past. Because my work is created and printed in Canada, duties and taxes are now more predictable.

What to expect

• Every listing includes clear shipping costs and estimated duties or fees

• More inventory is being added, including originals and prints

• If you’re ever in Ottawa, I can deliver locally, and you can carry work back within your personal exemption

Thank you for your patience and continued support. It means a great deal to me.

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Drawing Inspiration podcast, Season 2

Season 2 of Drawing Inspiration starts soon. I’m keeping it lean: six episodes, same format, strong guests.

Each episode opens with a short studio update, followed by a conversation about tools, process, and how artists keep showing up.

Want to shape the guest list? Reply with an artist you follow, or a previous guest you’d like to hear from again.

Etchr is the Season 2 sponsor. Thank you to Etchr for supporting artists with tools I rely on, especially the A6 Hot Press Sketchbook.

Thank you Etchr :-)

I also have limited spots available for episode sponsors. If you’re interested, email me and I’ll send details.

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Patreon, and what I’m building

I’ve been putting real time into building Patreon as a support layer for steady studio practice across drawing, watercolor, and oil painting.

Right now, I’m focused on two public tiers: a base tier and a mid tier. Those come first. A higher-level tier will come later, once the foundation is solid and the demand is clear.

In practical terms, my full-time job is acting as the top tier right now with only one position available :-) Thinking about it that way has made weaving my art journey into my tech/research career easier to manage and easier to pace.

What I’m building on Patreon

• studio decision-making, why I choose certain tools, setups, and approaches

• process notes and studies tied to current work

• deeper breakdowns of course material and ongoing projects

Podcast behind the scenes

As I build Season 2 of Drawing Inspiration, I’ll also share the practical side of running the show:

• hosting and feed setup

• recording gear and room layout

• editing workflow and templates

• guest updates as people are confirmed

• development and voting on new show art and podcast music intro

If there’s something specific you’d want help with or insight into, hit reply and tell me.

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In-person Drawing 1 course

I’m teaching a small in-person Drawing 1 class: 10 people, 2 hours a week, over five weeks. It’s beginner-friendly, nature-focused, and built around learning to see clearly and practise with intention.

I’m also releasing another Drawing 1 course beginning March 16. The waiting list already exceeds the 10 spots available for that session, so I’m now exploring another venue closer to downtown Ottawa for a third Drawing 1 course in early summer.

If you’re interested, join the waitlist via my website, or share the link with someone you know.

Here’s the path we’ll follow:

• Week 1: Tools, marks, first lines
  How pencils behave, pressure control, value scales, line control, and blind contour drawing.

• Week 2: Shape and proportion
  Breaking subjects into simple forms, measuring with your pencil, and using anchor points like the eye.

• Week 3: Light, shadow, dimension
  Using highlights and shadows to create form with controlled lighting.

• Week 4: Texture and detail
  Suggesting feathers, fur, bark, and smooth surfaces by drawing shadows between forms.

• Week 5: Finished nature drawing
  Bringing everything together, with guidance on composition, knowing when to stop, and how to continue your practice after the course..

Looking ahead, I plan to build from this foundation into an advanced Drawing 2 class, followed by Watercolor in a Sketchbook, and eventually a multi-day retreat. The goal is a clear progression for those who want to go deeper, and a reason for some of you to make the trip to Ottawa.

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Final thoughts

I’m heading into 2026 clear about what I want to make and share. Resonance is the goal: work that sticks, builds, and leaves an echo.

Between the studio, the six-episode Season 2 run of Drawing Inspiration, and what I’m building on Patreon, there’s a lot ahead. Stay tuned for an update on my oil painting as well!

One small challenge to carry into the new year: give your creative work priority and space. Put it on the calendar. Protect even 20 minutes. Show up before you feel ready. Your art practice won’t grow from motivation, it grows from time and attention.

Hit reply any time. Send a guest suggestion, tell me what you want from Patreon, or share what you’re making right now. I read every message, and your notes shape what comes next.

Thanks for reading,

Mike

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