I’m always apprehensive talking about my year, but for me, it’s important to remember all the good things that happen in a world that often feels full of turbulence.

I started the year off working with Ben Nichols on his album cover for “In the Heart of the Mountain.” Several weeks later we shot a couple videos for that same record.

I had the pleasure of working with New York Times best selling author and poet, Maggie Smith. She has a new book launching in the spring of 2026. It was wonderful hanging out with her and talking music.

The summer months took me out west to Oklahoma where I was a speaker at the Woody Guthrie Folk Festival. I led a panel on the I Didn’t Want to Tell You (IDWTTY) series and landed a photo of Evan Felker and Hayes Carll in Rolling Stone. A magical (and hot) festival.

I returned to the Nelsonville Music Festival, talking about IDWTTY, doing backstage portraits and shooting the main stage shows. This will always be one of my favorite festivals and is in beautiful southeast Ohio.

I ventured back to southern Indiana and attended the second annual Pickin’ in the Backwoods. Fingers crossed this festival keeps moving forward, it’s a special one.

I finished festival season at Healing Appalachia. This festival continues to bring in phenomenal talent, drawing bigger and bigger crowds. It’s a festival with a purpose, as they focus on the opioid epidemic and recovery in the region.

I headed down to Nashville for Americanafest, where I primarily did portrait sessions. I did sneak off to a private show with the Black Keys, for a few hundred people. Sometimes you end up in the right place at the right time and I’m forever aware and thankful.

The late fall found me back with the first person who encouraged me to take portraits, Lydia Loveless. She has some new songs that will be out in the world sometime soon.

In November I went to Indianapolis for the final show at Duke’s Indy. It has been home for so much of my music family and it was an emotional night of music  and community. It will be missed.

I got back to making some art in November and have an installation in the Tiny Art Galleries in Vermilion. It will be up through February 2026.

Rounding out my year was a trip to Little Rock, to the White Water Tavern, for their annual Holiday Hangout. Two days of magical music & friends that is the perfect way to finish my year.

2026 will include my first portrait only show at BayArts. I’m really looking forward to challenging myself on this one. I’ll also be back at music festivals during the summer, as I’m actively looking for a partner on the IDWTTY series. I hope to be able to continue to share those stories in the future.

Not all of the great moments were art related. The most important were watching kids graduate from college, get jobs, prepare to graduate from high school, attending sporting events, trips to Michigan, so many dog walks and couch cuddles.

I hope you have a wonderful rest of the year and I hope to see you out there in 2026.