Sunrise yesterday over Watermelon mountain (and a beloved art teacher from high school’s painting studio) in Albuquerque.

I left the red rocks of Sedona and the gracious company of Erin Sharaf of Mindfulness and Magi for those of New Mexico and that of two of my favorite people, artist Orlando Leyba and his wife Kelly.

Orlando was my first drawing and painting teacher 30 + years ago at a progressive boarding school in Massachusetts and we hadn’t seen each other since.

It was crazy to think that when I knew him he was younger than than I am now. He and his wife were just starting out in their professional lives and I was fortunate enough to have him mentor my creative spirit.

He provided a haven for young creativity and fragile weirdos with more street smarts than we should’ve had. We were largely on parented and he became mentor, uncle, surrogate parent.

he’s had a remarkable career both as an art educator and as a fine art painter himself. Be sure to check out his work.

I was grateful to have the opportunity to thank him for the impact that he had on my life and to let him know how much his influence mattered. Take the time today to think someone who changed your life for the better.

All too often we remind each other of what’s wrong how about taking a few to remind someone of just how right they did by you.

Thank you Orlando for nurturing both my artwork but also the artist I didn’t know I was. Mentors matter and I hope you know how much you did.