Sourdough baking presents me with a different kind of blank canvas: the smooth surface of dough, with the lame blade as my brush.

Sourdough is scored to give the bread room to rise in the oven, and there are some amazing bakers doing intricate and beautiful cut designs that utilize different depths of cut to achieve their vision. I’m still learning control, so I am emulating the cuts of others to learn technique.

I have much to learn, but the process is enjoyable, and the results, no matter how wonky, are edible.