muted woods

Sometimes I am amazed at how much color there is in the woods in winter...all the color that is hidden in the constant green of spring and summer is finally noticeable in the moss, rock, dry leaves, and deep bark of the cold season. For the person who looks deeply, there is actually more to see when the world is asleep.

winter beach

This image is from the shore of Percy Priest Lake in Long Hunter State Park, which has always been a favorite place to draw inspiration for paintings. On a hike this weekend, I noticed that the lake had been drawn low for the winter, leaving a barren area between the woods and the water's edge. Although during the rest of the year this rocky "beach" is submerged, winter exposes its secrets, revealing mysteries and textures that could only be experienced in this solitary season.