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The Sun Have you ever seen anything in your life more wonderful than the way the sun, every evening, relaxed and easy, floats toward the horizon and into the clouds or the hills, or the rumpled sea, and is gone– and how it slides again out of the blackness, every morning, on the other side of the world, like a red flower streaming upward on its heavenly oils, say, on a morning in early summer, at its perfect imperial distance– and have you ever felt for anything such wild love– do you think there is anywhere, in any language, a word billowing enough for the pleasure that fills you, as the sun reaches out, as it warms you as you stand there, empty-handed– or have you too turned from this world– or have you too gone crazy for power, for things? – Mary Oliver
I took advantage of having a large dining table this week and painted 25 of these lovely little ornaments. Each is inspired by the snowcapped mountains I've been lucky enough to gaze at each day and the surrounding forests of tall pines.  Each one is hand-painted on a slice of natural pine wood with bark around the edges. They're perfect to hang on a tree as an ornament, hang on the wall as art, or give to someone as a gift.  I added them to my shop yesterday, and am blown away by how quickly some of them have already been purchased, packed, and ready to ship to their new homes. This limited edition run may turn into an annual occurrence! Thank you to everyone who supports my artwork! 🥰
We've had a nice week of dog sitting again. I cooked a feast on Monday and have been enjoying delicious leftovers all week. So far, three batches of cookies have been baked (don't judge), and I've watched more movies in the past seven days than I have in the past two years. I love living off grid in the van, but it sure is nice to have these short spans in a house where I can bake, take daily showers, stay cozy on cold snowy days, and snuggle with cute dogs. We'll be back out on the open road next week. 😊
My cat Mabel has crossed the rainbow bridge, one month shy of her 18th birthday.  I adopted her as a kitten to be a friend for my dog, Bessa. The two of them were instant friends and grew inseparable over the years. Mabel was just as distraught as I was when Bessa died, and while she wasn't thrilled about a puppy in the house, she warmed up to Paco while making it clear she was the boss.  When I moved into the van, Mabel moved in with my parents. I joked she'd retired to the country. These past few years of her life were spent being absolutely spoiled, which is a pretty great way to live.  She was a much-loved companion who provided endless entertainment, cuddles, and meows throughout her long life. I'm grateful for all the memories and will forever have a tender place in my heart for her.
Living in the van has allowed me to witness so many amazing landscapes, sunrises, and sunsets. I've spent countless hours hypnotized by sunlight moving across the land, saturating mountains, trees and deserts in such intense colors.  This is a small collection of some of my landscapes. When I paint, I hope to capture just a tiny bit of those magical moments. A brief snapshot of a moment that left me in awe.  🥰🎨👩🏼‍🎨 #lisabussett #art #artist #nomadicartist #smallart #landscapeart #creative #expressionism #artwork #paintings #theartfulcollective #painter #vanlife #emergingartist #discoverartists #vanlifecreator #vanlifecommunity #vanartist #vanlifeart #tinyart #artstagram #travelingartist #landscapepaintings #inherstudio #artistsoninstagram #ladiesewhopaint #discoverartists #artcollective #abstract #contemporaryart
I thought it would be too warm for snow, but boy was I wrong! Beautiful walk in a desert winter wonderland. The setting sunlight was wonderful. 😍
Paco, the professional photo bomber. 😆🐶
A photo dump of my walks through the desert, full of junipers, clouds, red rocks, and more. 😍