paper birch

At the top of the hill overlooking our campsite was a gorgeous stand of birch. I am unaccustomed to seeing these incredible trees. To a native of the northern woods they must seem commonplace, but to me they were a miracle. The "paper" peels off at will, looking like refuse on the ground. This particular hillside also overlooked a lagoon where a dozen or so beaver had built a lodge. The first evening we were treated to a show as they slapped their tails on the water, attempting to scare us away.

after the rain

Our outfitter Doug Jordan (who I VERY highly recommend to anyone considering a BWCA trip) told us a story before we set out about a time he had guided a couple on a short fishing outing. They scoffed when he grabbed his rain gear for an afternoon of fishing on a sunny day. They were not laughing, though, after they were drenched by a sudden storm typical of this northern Minnesota region! Of course, we thought we were immune from this pattern, so one afternoon when my father and I headed out for some fishing, I left my gear at camp, preferring the minimal approach. After snagging (and losing) my first northern pike, the sky suddenly opened up, dropping fat raindrops and scattering lightning all around. After a very scary fast paddle back to camp, the rain cleared, leaving a lovely fog in its wake. As we dried out, we shot some great images from the shore.

lake sunset

When we weren't preparing dinner, Nicole and I managed to sneak away to shoot a sunset here and there. That is one of my favorite things about being on vacation in a nautral environment-- I am more likely to take in a sunrise or sunset (although I only observed the former on the last day due to laziness). Being in the city, I cannot get the best view everyday, nor do I take the precious minutes out of the day to reflect; but living in the woods, even if only temporarily, gives one an instant new set of priorities.

campsite landing

We found the best campsite I have ever had the privilege of occupying (with the possible exception of the Sahara site in February). Derek and I barely made it into the landing on the first day, what with exhaustion and choppy water (and arguing over who was steering improperly). Throughout the week we quickly adjusted to the delicate arrangement of boulders and the best route for landing the canoe on the sandy beach. It is amazing how quickly a grouping of trees and boulders can become "home."

entry point

We put in our canoes on Lake One (not very creatively named, but when you claim 10,000 lakes I suppose you run out of options) and almost immediately passed through this river-like channel. We went on to paddle many more miles until we reached our campsite. The Boundary Waters is a protected designated wilderness, and there is no motor traffic allowed (i.e. no motorboats....canoes only). Not even airplanes are permitted to fly overhead. This means that the Boundary Waters experience is similar to what the 18th and 19th century trappers would have experienced. Only with Gore-tex and backpacking stoves.

duluth waters

We passed through Duluth on the way north to see the waters as a storm rolled through. It was a great city with a great energy. My favorite part was the visit to the Duluth Pack store, a little "spendy" as they say in Minnesota, but I acquired a #4 deluxe waxed Duluth Pack as a souvenir/birthday gift. It worked great in the boundary waters, although I found myself making room for "just one more thing" in my huge roomy new pack. At least I felt like a pro!

austin, minnesota

We had one of the most amazing camping trips this week...far surpassing my expectations. The first night we stayed with my friend Nicole's parents, who had a comfortable bed and home cooked meal waiting for us after our very long drive. This tree grows in the field across from their house, and Nicole says she has always wanted me to paint it, so here it is. I was amazed at the beauty of the area, gentle farmland and open spaces.

special notice

For the next ten days or so, I will be in the Boundary Waters in northern Minnesota, gathering images, and most importantly, listening to loons, floating on lakes, and smelling clean air. This means that I will be far, far away from all things internet, so please pardon the gap in posts. I promise many new and exciting images upon my return.

evening field

This image comes from one of my outings in Ohio, crossing a field in the evening on the way back from a river. I really like the color and light, even if the image is somewhat abstract.

field stream

I painted this field earlier this week as a larger piece. Lately I have been very drawn to water imagery, finding ways to combine it with both the farm landcape and the more untouched wilderness images I have been playing with for the last year or so. I love the solitude and reflection that water brings.

wayne national forest

When I was visiting my brother in West Virginia last week, we took our dogs out for an afternoon hike in the Wayne National Forest. It is a treasure, spanning large areas of southern Ohio and reaching the banks of the Ohio River. We had some fun adventures, the most colorful of which was an encounter with a drunken fisherman and his Bigfoot enthusiast companion beneath a covered bridge. Less lively but far more tranquil was this spot on the overgrown trail we chose for our hike, notable for the afternoon sun peeking through the new growth.

ohio marsh

I painted this marsh from a different spot earlier this year, but when visiting it again last week, I really liked it from this vantage point. I look forward to attempting it on a larger scale.

ryman

Last night I had the good fortune to see two of my favorite musicians perform at the Mother Church; Gillian Welch and Bright Eyes. Both of these performers have blessed my creative time for years, as I have played their CDs on a constant loop for many hours of painting. Gillian has always left me simultaneously inspired and frustrated-- why attempt any sort of music making or songwriting when someone has already said it best and in a style I could never hope to surpass? Bright Eyes' live performance was a complete surprise...one of the most incredible and engaging performances I've seen, full and round and filling every cell of every body in the room. It was like a child's simple vision of heaven, all the musicians dressed in white among plastic colored flowers. He even had a live media artist creating spontaneous images on a huge screen using things like ouija boards, smoke, and etch-a-sketch. A man after my own heart! And so young...and so wise and brilliant. I felt a moment of complete connection when he sang the words, "I took off my shoes and walked into the woods/ I felt lost and found with every step I took."

morning mist

This farm is another from Holmes County, where the views are distant. In the early morning hours the mist combines with rows of hills to make quite an atmosphere. I loved this spot, and the tiny glimpse of a farm pond in the front field.

old favorite

This field is a favorite of mine, and I have painted it several times, though I don't think I've ever sold one of the paintings. Blinded by sentiment, perhaps; but I have always loved the way the tree row rests on the ridge and the clear view of the hill beyond. I was painting in this field when the twin towers were hit on September 11th (and flight 93 went down a couple of hours east), and I had no idea what was happening on that crystal-clear perfect day until I arrived home.

new field

Going to Ohio at this time of the year, I found that many of the fields had been freshly planted or were simply dormant this year. At any rate, there were many fields that lay bare, the soil vulnerable to the wind and rain, waiting for their new plants.

green river

This river scene was especially notable for the lush, grassy sandbars that crept from under the trees to the water's edge. I think it will make a great painting in a larger scale.

trees in field

One day I woke very early, completely exhausted from the strange shooting schedule I had imposed upon myself. (All photographers know that the best times to shoot are early in the morning and ust before sunset.) I drove alone to the next couny north, Holmes County, famous for its Amish population. While it is somewhat odd to see the rural, last-century lifestyle of the Amish as a tourist attraction, their farms are truly beautiful, and the land they cultivate is some of the most beautiful in the state.

ohio sunset

Finally back to Nashville and catching up on my work, I have been sifting through the many wonderful images I gathered on the trip. One evening my father and I were driving around near his house while the sun was setting. We came over a wooded hill on a gravel road to see an amazing farm that filled the whole valley. The sun was setting directly ahead over a ridge. It turned out that a coworker of his owned the place, an old family farm. I must confess, I was more than a little jealous.

river reflection

Spending so much of the last two days along the rivers has almost made time stand still. My father and I have been getting up before the sun, driving roads that are new to at least one of us (usually me), and telling stories of life on this land (mostly him). He said when we were standing on a river bank, throwing sticks for Umber, that being on the river is necessary to feel recharged. It makes you forget every worry as the water passes by, always replaced, always in motion.

kokosing

One of the main purposes of this trip is to seek out river imagery. Fortunately, my father has grown up and lived his whole life on the rivers here and he knew of dozens and dozens of great sites. This is one of his favorite fishing spots along the Kokosing River, timeless and clear, winding through beautiful ancient hills. This time wandering the countryside has further convinced me that this is one of the most incredible, "undiscovered" landscapes in the country.

field road

Stopping at this farm was almost a mystical experience. I turned from a small road down an even smaller one, and pulled up this sandy road. My trusty travel companion Umber jumped out of the car and bounced through the deep green fields. I listened for a moment to the perfect silence of the country, the breeze through the hay, the insects, the birds. Living in the city, I think I know moments of silence, but this is the only time when I truly hear it.

tiny creek

On Thursday I drove to Kentucky to deliver some paintings to the gallery in Louisville. I continued to Cincinnati to spend the night before taking the deliberate long way home. I love to get lost when looking for land, to drive and drive and be led by some unseen force showing me the way to that next place I simply must experience. This farm was in the flat heartland in south central Ohio, an area I usually drive right through...but this time I stopped to see.

tall trees in georgia

This week I have been on the road, driving many long hours. I started on Wednesday driving to Atlanta and back to switch out some paintings at the gallery. On the way back, I meandered through north Georgia, marvelling all along at the immense pines and golden light peeking through the branches. I finally understood what Eva Cassidy was singing about.

shenandoah

Another river study today, this time of the much wider Shenandoah. This is a river of magic for me, winding through the Blue Ridge Mountains, home to flashing, elusive fish and the dreams of a younger me.

virginia creek study

This week I have been thinking about rivers and streams as possible subjects for a commission this summer. One of my assignments is to depict a stream or river winding through flat country. I came across this lovely creek image from a painting trip with my friend Stephanie several years ago in the Shenandoah River valley. It took me right back to that extremely hot day, when we painted as fast as we could to beat the afternoon thunderstorm.

harpeth day

Today was one of those days that defines what life is all about. We spent most of it floating past some of the most beautiful countryside in the area, canoeing on the Harpeth River. The weather was balmy, and since it followed two days of rain, the river was nice and high...a good thing on a river that is notoriously low in mid-summer. We lost count of turtles sunning themselves on logs and plopping into the water at first sight of us. The Canada Geese and Great Blue Herons were not so shy, though, and let us get within a few feet of them. The only wildlife I didn't want to see was the watersnake that Umber stepped on-- I was just thankful it wasn't one of the venomous species we have encountered on previous trips! Now slightly sore and sunburned, I will rest easy tonight, restored by the river.

big sky

Today I helped my friend Aaron Grayum (www.tinymusicbox.com) sell his artwork at a local art show. My favorite piece of his was a landscape, mostly sky, with a boy flying a kite. Later in the day I had a conversation with someone who asked me if I ever focused on skies in my own work. All these references to the big blue ceiling had me thinking tonight about trying a piece with only a tiny bit of land, leaving a little more room to dream.

twilight tree study

I painted this tree over the winter when the sun was setting through its bare branches. We had a long afternoon of slow rain today, and I was drawn to the deep, clean green of its leaves now that spring is here.

mountain heartache

For some reason this week, I have been missing the mountains. I have been thinking every morning when I wake about opening my eyes to misty ridges, hearing the bubble of a stream, smelling that clean pine pure rain smell. It has been a dream of mine for over ten years to make my home there, and sometimes I just wonder what I am waiting for....

neighborhood twilight

I have noticed lately that the sunsets have been particularly warm and golden, even from such a limited perspective as my little neighborhood. Tonight it was a bit rainy, but still a warm, pleasant atmosphere outside as the light faded.

banks of the harpeth

This piece is from an image I shot earlier this spring on the banks of the Harpeth River. We are planning a canoe outing there sometime this week, so I am looking forward to revisiting the area, this time with a view of the water.

evening primrose

A few summers ago I thought it would be great to plant a variety of medicinal herbs and plants in the diverse little ecosystem that is our yard. I was not as good at growing them as I thought I would be, discovering that many medicinals need a delicate balance of forest soils or just the right amount of sunlight to thrive. They survive in the wild in exactly the place that is best suited for them, but they are sometimes difficult to cultivate for that reason-- we do not always know the exact spot to plant them. One of the few plants that thrived in my urban jungle was Evening Primrose. I found out later that it succeeds in poor conditions, even growing between cracks in concrete. These plants that most would consider weeds have reseeded themselves every year, and this is one of last year's dried seedpods, making way for the new green growth of spring.

dead wren

After hearing mysterious chirps coming from the basement this morning, we rooted around until we found this tiny injured baby wren just inside the door. I refuse to kick the wrens out when they nest above the dryer-- they are one of the few examples of wildlife I can witness up close in the city. I reacted as I was taught by my father as a young girl...put on some gloves, put the bird in a shoebox, and see if it recovers. Unfortunately, this one had a heart attack when I scooped it into the box, and died suddenly. It was quite tragic for me, since last year's brood of house wren hatchlings were snatched by a red-tailed hawk right outside my window on the day they fledged. I had hoped for a better fate for this year's babies. We buried it at the feet of St. Francis in the backyard and sowed wildflower seeds on its grave.

forest stream

This image is from one of my recent reference-finding outings. It was a beautiful spot next to a meadow on a dead-end road, and well worth finding when I was lost. I may attempt a larger version of it in the studio this week.

meadow creek study

Tomorrow I will be demonstrating painting at the Elm Tree Gallery in downtown Franklin, TN as part of their annual community arts festival. This is the image I plan to paint, although the final piece will be a horizontal composition. I found the spot on my travels through the southern part of the state, and I am looking forward to portraying it on a large scale.

dark edge

This field edge caught my eye as I drove past on a winding country highway, but at first I did not stop. When I discovered that I had missed the unmarked turn to get to the river, though, I had to turn around and drive past again, so this time I stopped to get a shot. I loved the bright yellow line of the field against the impenetrable forest edge.

duck river

Yesterday I took the day off from painting to take a drive down south with my dog Umber. I researched the terrain of the landscape using google earth, and even studied the weather patterns for the last month, hoping to find trees that still had green leaves. This late frost situation has really compromised my ability to find new subjects! The highlight of the day was finally getting to see the Duck River. It is beautiful and slow, carving out deep channels through the limestone that seems to substitute for topsoil in the southern part of the state. We took some time to wander along a path that follows it, and Umber even had a little swim.

distant field study

Back in the studio today, I have been working on producing new paintings to restock several galleries. This is a palette I have felt very connected with lately, soft blues and greens. I like the haze in the atmosphere, pushing back the rows of hills. It grows my anticipation of summer, humid and hazy.

knotted tree

This weekend we ventured out to Beaman Park once again, unable to resist the perfect spring weather. We explored the upper ridge trail this time, sad to see all the black leaves dangling from the trees. It was surprising to see how many trees on the trail had deformities, presumably from disease. They made for some interesting forms, though, and this large trunk was one of the most unusual.

iris

Once again breaking my "no flowers" rule (which is starting to seem pointless), I couldn't resist this lonely iris that miraculously bloomed overnight. After the massive frosts we had here in Tennessee over the past two weeks, it is amazing this delicate wonder made it through. I wish I could say the same for the leaves on the trees-- it looks more like autumn than spring in some places with all the black and maroon leaves withered on the branches. This is the exact variety of iris that grew in my front yard as a little girl. Their appearance always meant long summer days soon to come.

hazy horizon

Still sorting through images to plan the week in the studio, I found this image that I think will translate well to a larger piece. I attempted it in a smaller study several years ago, but I would like to revisit it in large scale. I love the palette of faint purples and pale blue-greens.

almost bare

I once painted a very distant view of a hillside, nearly bare but for a few clumps of trees. It turned out to be very desolate and almost unfriendly, and never sold. I have always been fond of this type of imagery, though. There is something appealing about a broad view from a long distance. I am still searching for a way to make it work in a less stark approach.

hill rows

Sometimes I find inspiration from old reference images...looking back through old pictures brings back memories and inspires new perspectives on familiar subjects. I painted a version of this image a couple of years ago, but found a different view of the spot that I'm considering revisiting...still working out the palette.

cumberland river

Today seemed like the perfect day to get out and gather some reference...a little overcast, warm, and slow. I made myself complete a painting, and then I set out to explore a county nearby I have never visited--Trousdale. It looked promising on the map, as the Cumberland River winds through it. I found this spot where the highway curves along a cliff high above the river. Otherwise, the trip was not so abundant with imagery, but I did find some lovely creeks and fields that will be more paintable when the leaves come in about a month from now.

marsh study

This is a study for a larger piece I completed today of a marshy area near Nashville. I have painted this subject before in a different format, but I really liked the final format of the large painting today, long and horizontal. The study has a life of its own, quick and painterly, a nice change from the more labored final product.

field study

Back in the studio today, I am working on ideas for some larger paintings. I have painted images of this spot before, but I recently came across some imagery that is elongated and would work well as a long, narrow composition. I thought this would be a good way to work out the palette before attempting a different layout.

pisgah national forest

We stopped in the Pisgah National Forest to stretch, let the dog splash in a mountain stream, and inspect our destroyed exhaust system. Yes, that's right. From the moment my bid was accepted as the winner, I feared that the 1988 dinosaur of a Cruiser would not make it the 400 miles back to Nashville, but it was the "reliable" Jetta that had issues in the end. The pipe to the catalytic converter snapped in half about 200 miles into the trip, resulting in an embarassing, sportscar-like, deafening drone for the rest of the weekend. At least this spot was quiet and tranquil, a peaceful mountain stream winding around a mountain, spotted with groves of trees.

mountain ridge

To make a long story short, I spontaneously purchased a beautiful red 1988 FJ62 Toyota Landcruiser on ebay last week, prompting us to drive to North Carolina over the weekend. Although it was probably one of the most insane things I've ever done, it has actually turned out well! We made it home in the "beast" just fine, and had a chance to drive all the way across the Smoky Mountains through snow and rain. This ridge was visible on the way east, a little misty and barren in the early spring cold.

tree row study

I have been preparing to return to the studio and catch up on lost time, so I have been sifting through old images looking for new inspiration. I found an image of a row of trees on a ridge at dusk and wanted to try the combination with light that I observed on the long drive home yesterday. It will take some more experimentation before the image is ready for a larger painting.

reclining nude study

After several days of resting my shoulder and having other adventures (to be described later), I am finally catching up on posts. This week I will hopefully be able to resume a regular painting schedule. This piece is based on a drawing I did in the last session of the figure class, our last class until summer. It was such a positive and invigorating experience working with the students, all of whom were enthusiastic and motivated. I always learn a great deal when I teach, and this was no exception.