Currently Reading | September Edition

My last Currently Reading post was back in January, so it feels like a good time to get back to this series and share what’s been on my nightstand (and in my earbuds) lately. I always seem to have a few books going at once—some for book clubs, some for learning, and some just for the joy of reading.

How Painting Happens (and Why It Matters) by Martin Gayford

This book left me with so much to reflect on, both about painting in general and my own practice. Because I never attended art school, I’ve been “hacking” my own art education along the way, and books like this help fill the gaps.

It digs into the questions every painter wrestles with:

How does an artist begin a painting?
Why choose one material or technique over another?
What do marks reveal about personal expression?
And the eternal question—how do you know when a painting is done?

Reading it felt like sitting in on an art class, filling an academic space I am missing in my daily studio life.

Get the Picture by Bianca Bosker

On a similar art note, I’m currently listening to Get the Picture. It’s an insider’s look at the gatekeepers of the art world and the artists they choose to champion.

At times, it’s frustrating—full of the same pretentiousness that made me step away from New York—but it’s also sharp, funny, and surprisingly affirming. The moments when artists share their stories and processes feel especially insightful and sometimes affirming.

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

This one I listened to for a book club, and wow—it’s unforgettable. Set in Appalachia during the late 90s early 2000s, it explores the opioid crisis through the voice of a boy named Demon. Kingsolver’s writing is both raw and beautiful, finding light in an otherwise heavy subject.

While the story doesn’t shy away from themes like poverty and addiction, there are also moments of humor, resilience, and hope—especially through the protagonist’s artistic spark and the strength of the characters around him. If you haven’t read this yet, add it to your list.

Enchantment: Awakening Wonder in an Anxious Age by Katherine May

I’ve been slowly savoring this one, letting myself move through it intentionally this season. Katherine May, who also wrote Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times (a book I’ve loved and shared here before), has a gift for weaving comfort, wisdom, and reflection into her words. Enchantment feels like the perfect book to carry into fall.

Well, that’s my current stack: part art study, part storytelling, part soul-nourishment.
Now I’d love to hear from you: What have you been reading lately?

Currently Reading: September