Every painting tells a story.

Some stories begin with a blank canvas.

Others begin with a conversation.

Several years ago, my friend Rob Cherry encouraged me to get involved with Visionaries + Voices. Knowing how much I loved painting and collaborating with others, he thought I'd enjoy Double Vision, an annual event that pairs community artists with Visionaries + Voices’s artists to create a single work of art together.

I had no idea how much that experience would inspire me.

My first collaboration paired me with Kenny Barger.

Going in, I thought we were creating a painting.

Looking back, we were creating something much bigger.

One Canvas. Many Artists. Countless Possibilities.

A timeline showing the progress of artists' work from 2023 to 2026, including photos of art creations, artists working, and artworks like colorful paintings and sketches, with captions indicating artworks were sold at auction and tattoo-inspired art.
Bright abstract painting featuring blue, green, and purple hues with black and white butterflies and blue flower-like shapes.
Hand holding an illustration of blue butterflies with a painted background of blue and green hues.
Man standing in art gallery holding a colorful abstract painting with blue and green hues, surrounded by various artworks on the walls.

Our very first painting, Springtime Flutter, wasn't simply about butterflies. It was about trust, curiosity, and learning to create alongside another artist. We each brought our own ideas, our own style, and our own perspective to the canvas.

Somewhere along the way, it stopped being my painting or his painting.

It became our painting.

That's the power of collaboration.

It reminds us that the best ideas don't always come from having all the answers. Sometimes they come from listening, experimenting, encouraging one another, and being willing to create something neither person could have made alone.

Since that first experience, I've had the privilege of collaborating with several incredible Visionaries + Voices artists through Double Vision. Every partnership has been different, and every painting has taught me something new—not just about art, but about creativity, connection, and seeing the world through someone else's eyes.

These collaborations have become some of the most meaningful work I've ever done.

They remind me that creativity isn't about perfection.

It's about possibility.

I'm especially grateful to the entire Visionaries + Voices team for creating opportunities that bring artists together in such a meaningful way. Through Double Vision, the artwork is auctioned to help support the organization's mission, proving that creativity can do more than inspire—it can create opportunity and change lives.

Two people standing next to a colorful abstract painting in an indoor setting, with people working at tables in the background.

For the past three years, I've had the privilege of collaborating with artist Jackie Fisher, and each painting has been a reminder of why I love this event so much. Creating together—especially exploring Jackie's tattoo-inspired artwork—has been colorful, inspiring, and full of artistic freedom. We each bring our own ideas, styles, and perspectives to the canvas, encouraging one another to experiment, trust the process, and create something neither of us could have imagined alone.

Every collaboration is different. Every canvas tells a new story. And every year I leave inspired. I'm already looking forward to creating our fourth painting together this year.

If you'd like to explore Jackie's incredible work, you can view her portfolio here.

Several of our collaborative paintings have also been selected for Visionaries + Voices greeting cards, allowing the artwork—and the stories behind it—to reach even more people.

When I look back on these paintings, I don't just see the finished artwork.

I remember the conversations.

The laughter.

The unexpected ideas.

The friendships.

Because in the end, creativity is better together.

Some of my favorite stories are the ones we could never have created alone.

A person with curly hair and a black hoodie painting a colorful, abstract, long, flowing art piece on a large canvas. The art features vibrant colors including purple, green, and orange, and resembles a stylized brain or organic shape. The background shows a red curtain and fairy lights.
Colorful abstract painting with swirls and shapes in vibrant colors on a canvas, displayed on a wall.
Colorful abstract painting with swirling shapes and bold black outlines, featuring various shades of purple, pink, blue, yellow, orange, and green.
An abstract painting of a woman's face with bold black outlines, gold, blue, and tan colors, with geometric patterned background, and the words "gold blue" written in the lower right corner.
Four people standing on a stage with colorful lighting; two men wearing cowboy hats, one woman dressed in a multicolored, floral-themed outfit, and another man with glasses holding a microphone.

Then comes the cherry on top.

Every Double Vision collaboration is auctioned live by professional cattle auctioneers in one of the most energetic and unforgettable art events I've ever experienced. The room is filled with excitement as each painting finds a new home, all while supporting the incredible mission of Visionaries + Voices.

It's an evening my family and I look forward to every year, and it's a celebration of creativity, collaboration, and community unlike anything else.
If you've never experienced Double Vision, I hope you'll enjoy the videos below and see a little of that energy for yourself.

Experience Double Vision

A group of people posing around a large, pink, three-tiered cake decorated with red cherries and white ruffles at a celebration event.
A smiling man and woman taking a selfie in a theater or performance venue, with ornate gold decorations, red curtains, and other audience members in the background.

Creativity is better together. Let’s create something meaningful.