What’s fueling your curiosity?

I still wave at my neighbors. The guy at the gas station knows the rattle of my old Falcon and my futile soft spot for lottery tickets. But only when the numbers add up to eight.

“People say: idle curiosity. The one thing that curiosity cannot be is idle.” – Leo Rosten

In Oregon it used to be illegal to pump your own gas and I liked it that way. It wasn’t because I’m too lazy to get out of the car, I loved the ritual. Eye contact, a few words, maybe a laugh. Maybe not. Maybe it’s late, and it’s their second shift. The last trappings of the “Service“ station and the opportunity to meet someone new even if just for a moment.

I’m curious. Not in a nosy way, I just love the possibility that shows up when we’re open.
In art, openness is everything. Curiosity rewires our experience. It keeps the work alive, and more importantly, it keeps us alive.

A portrait demo I did last Friday for the 2025 Learning to See artists.

What lives beyond the first impression? How can we describe that?

We’re better when we’re curious, we become more empathetic, more adaptable. Curiosity transforms failure into momentum. It’s the engine behind resilience, and as artists, resilience is our gasoline.

If you’re bored, it shows. You can spot it in a painting right away. All the technique in the world won’t save a piece that was phoned in. But curiosity? That shows, too. It comes with a breathy accent, and a promise too good to pass up.

We’ve all dragged our tires against the curb. Fatigue, burnout, doubt. So how do we get back on the I-5? Start with a question. The answers come later. Begin.

Look at your painting like you’ve never seen it before. What grabbed you first? Why did that happen? What’s one thing you like about the thing you don’t like? This is an invitation to grow. It makes even the most mundane painting feel alive. Because you’re engaged.

The next time you’re stuck, don’t stop. Pause. Look closer. What did you get stuck on? Maybe you’ve arrived at something beautiful. Without curiosity you might have missed it.

Is That a Spark or a Clue?

Where’s Your Attention Wandering?

What’s Fueling Your Curiosity?