I took this photo walking through Pacific Spirit park with my kids. Something about this image reminded me of the creative process of music-making. My experience so far in production of our new album looks like this beautiful cedar stump--we are breaking the music down to the core and then using these pieces to fertilize the new whole that is growing out of the deep red soil. Our will to make this a powerful album has called for the refinement of the songs into deeper connection between sound and meaning, tightening bridges, transitions, and lyrics, polishing melody and harmony lines, bass lines, drum parts. All of the elements are still there, but new growth is firing up from parts of the music or myself that I am ready to release back into the creative stream. I transform through the music and deepen my understanding of myself and the world. I challenge myself to step into the best of who I am, building my skills as a person and musician every time I meet an edge. I keep finding trust and gratitude in the most surprising places: our music is coming through the process burnished and shining, and so are we.