When Life Gives You Lemons ~ The Story of The Lemon Project

In the summer of 2024, my son Louis and I took a workshop on the craft of paper making. It was hosted by Art Spark Texas (an organization I work for) and led by master paper maker Drew Matott. Amid the laughter, experiments, and water stains, I fell in love with the delicate texture and subtle irregularities of each sheet. It was there in that workshop The Lemon Project took root.

We came home with a giant pile of beautiful, multi-colored paper. All I wanted to do was paint on them. I could barely contain myself. Though I first had to figure out how to honor the paper’s beauty while making it robust enough for oil paint. After countless tests, I found an acrylic-based medium that sealed the surface without compromising its natural character. With that solved, I got to work painting.

The first painting was a lemon and so was the second. From there, everyone in the house started referring to the paintings as the "lemon paintings". Even after I painted a kiwi, and apple and an avocado., the name stuck and The Lemon Project was born.

The handmade paper was so beautiful, I didn’t want to cover it entirely. Instead, I chose to paint a single small object “floating” somewhere on each page. By limiting where the paint was applied, the paper itself could take center stage. The small paintings became an exercise in rendering each object with minute realism, using the same indirect method I apply in my larger works. This method, the Mische Technique, is the cornerstone of my studio practice.

After completing the first five still-life paintings, a call for art was announced by the Creative Arts Society (CAS)(a nonprofit artist group in Austin that partners with local businesses and galleries to offer exhibition opportunities to its members) for a solo show at the Ruby Hotel & Bar in Round Rock, Texas. As a CAS member, I jumped at the call and selected my exhibition dates to coincide with the Austin City Limits Festival.

With the exhibition at the Ruby Hotel & Bar secured, I decided to make The Lemon Project a collection of ten paintings. It seemed fitting, since the exhibition would be installed in a wide hallway leading to the Ruby’s bar, that the next five paintings be companion cocktail paintings for each of the original fruit still lifes.

As I was finishing up the last of the paintings, I thought to myself: wouldn't it be cool to create a cocktail recipe book. So, I reached out to local Austin distilleries to ask if they would contribute a recipe. Several said yes! I now had a collaborative component to the project. The Lemon Project was growing as if it had a life of its own! Revolution Spirits, Goodnight Loving Vodka, and Balcones Distilling generously donated over ten cocktail recipes to the project.

At this point, I had all the components for an incredible book, and The Lemon Project: The Paintings & The Recipes catalogue came together at a fever pitch in late summer 2025. My artist bestie Rebecca Byrd Arthur who is also a talented book designer, helped me prepare the catalogue for print. Cassandra Gonzales at Pixel Perfect Art, who has photographed my work for years, provided the digital images of the paintings. Both of them added an additional layer of collaboration to the project. And to complete my vision, Steven Porter at DTW Art & Framing brought his craftsmanship and sharp eye for detail, as he always does, to the framing of the original paintings. All of their talents helped elevate every aspect of the project and I am grateful to each of them.

At its heart, The Lemon Project is a celebration of handwork and a meditation on the beauty of the everyday. As it evolved, it also became a testament to what’s possible through collaboration with the vibrant and inspiring Austin artisan scene. A scene I am immensely proud to be a part of.

The original paintings from The Lemon Project were featured in a solo exhibition at the Ruby Hotel & Bar in Round Rock, Texas, during September and October 2025.

🗓 Exhibition Dates: September 24 – October 29

🍸 Happy Hour Meet & Greet: Wednesday, September 24, 4–7pm

Each of the ten paintings is rendered in oils on a 10×7-inch sheet of my own handmade 100% rag paper, mounted onto 12×9-inch Nuabari artisan paper, then mounted again onto a cork panel. Finally, the whole piece is framed in dark brown wood under glass. They are gorgeous!

To see all ten original paintings go HERE

The Lemon Project: The Paintings & The Recipes catalogue is available here.

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