Hard Work Pays Off

After a jammed summer of closing down my Palm Springs Gallery, tearing up a lot of my mole-infested lawn for stamped cement, and remodeling my gallery here in Snohomish, I found a rare free day recently! I drove to Leavenworth, located on the dry east side of Seattle, to set up my easel and paint along the side of the Wenatchee River. This river eventually flows into the Columbia Basin and then out to sea. It's a popular destination for whitewater rafting, kayaking, and other water activities.  I found a bend along this serene riverfront and stood a while contemplating whether I could transfer all that needs to be transferred onto a canvas: light, mood, and, in this view, the river itself, rocks, clouds, sky, and trees. After a bit, I felt all was right and set up my easel. The day was as perfect as it could be. Behind me was a picnic table, and on it was a packed lunch of cutlets, blueberry muffins, and pistachios. All of that could wait, though, as I begin my work. I generally don't take breaks until I've completed a painting. I go into a zone that is so familiar and real to me. It is a place that I have lived in most of my life, I think, and therefore I vow once more that I can't let too much time pass between my adventures outdoors.