Some of my happiest childhood memories are of taking Saturday art classes at a local college and watching my father, an amateur artist, paint with a palette knife. My parents made a point to take me to visit local painters and sculptors, which piqued my interest in art. Despite these exposures, my love of science led me to pursue a career in medicine. During medical school, a pathology course revealed the beautiful colors and patterns of human tissue under the microscope. I spent the next three decades looking at these colors and patterns on a daily basis. During this time, I began using watercolor pencils to create abstract mandalas (round, like the view through a microscope). Now, in my second career as a pastor of an Ecumenical Catholic church, I enjoy watercolor painting in my free time. My favorite subjects are those that combine natural and man-made objects. I continue to work on my skills through on-line and in-person workshops.