I got in on a scholarship. I want to say that upfront because it still feels a little surreal. The Portrait Society of America's 28th Annual Conference isn't the kind of thing I would have just signed myself up for without a push. And that scholarship was the push.

I had never used oil sticks before Phoenix reached out to sponsor a video—and let’s just say, my first attempt was a total mess. But after some frustrating trial and error (and way too much pigment clumping), I started figuring things out: from which surfaces actually work to how warming the sticks completely changes the experience. This post walks through my honest learning curve, what surprised me, and how I ended up painting a Basquiat-inspired piece that finally made it all click.

Inspiration doesn’t always shout. Sometimes, it lingers quietly, like a stag in the mist—both sacred and fragile. This is how It’s My Time came to life.