What does it mean to know you’re supported, even when you can’t see it? In The Weight Behind Me, I reflect on growing up in Buffalo, the power of family and chosen community, and the steady confidence that comes from knowing you’re never truly alone.

An essay on Christian Dior, World War II, and the making of Homage Dior—a portrait about conviction, art, and showing up in unstable times.

A visit to the Blanton Museum with my kids becomes a meditation on imperfection, rigor, and what endures in painting. Standing inches from works by the Old Masters, I reflect on art as a living, time-based practice—and what their beautifully flawed paintings still whisper to contemporary artists today.

As the new year begins, many people are talking about fresh starts. For the Chido-Gross family, creativity has always served as an ongoing source of renewal and purpose. Their home hums with piano keys, paintbrushes, and the occasional burst of ukulele chords. It’s a place where art isn’t a hobby so much as a shared language.

The solstice has taught me that light cannot be summoned — only received

Guest writer Ron Gross shares his latest writing, "Shaking Up the Arts: How Austin Distilleries Are Toasting The Lemon Project."

This year’s harvest is a story told in paper, paint, and gratitude. From Remember Her? to The Lemon Project, my studio cycles have come full circle—ripening into exhibitions, collaborations, and new beginnings.

The Story of The Lemon Project

Form drawing is a foundational, movement-based art practice that trains the hand to move with intention, the eye to see with precision, and the soul to engage with rhythm and balance. It consists of drawing freehand patterns, shapes, and dynamic lines—not for decoration, but as a developmental discipline that builds focus, coordination, and inner harmony.

Some songs don’t just stick in your head—they hand you a vision. That’s exactly what happened with Up On the Roof, one of the more playful pieces in my Music Series Collection. That moment became the beginning—not just of a painting, but of a whole new series.

I was driving with the radio turned way up when Hold On by Triumph came on. I’ve loved that song for decades—top five material. I was singing at full volume when that line landed like lightning. The image arrived in full, and I knew exactly what I needed to paint. That moment became the beginning—not just of a painting, but of a whole new series.

A deeply personal and cultural reflection on motherhood as a creative force—beyond biology, beyond politics, and rooted in radical love, legacy, and truth.