I am surrounded by beauty...

Just came back from a short walk with Zeus, and I honestly think my head might explode.  So many beautiful trees.  

     There is one at the beginning of my trail that is so tall and straight... it's bark is like little rough grey chips, some of which have a green tinge from moss, and underneath is a bit of orange.  When that particular tree is wet.. the underneath part is bright red and the chips are black... beautiful... I have to paint that.

     Then there is the 3 cedars... their bark is that beautiful smooth grey that you could drown in, and it is in long thin strips that just beg to be sketched... the leaves are a gorgeous green and drape like lace.

Then there are the ones that dance... their boughs curve upwards and I can't wait to paint all the swirls I see in their foliage.

Next come the "morse code" trees... I call them this because their barks has lines of dots going around their trunks horizontally.  

I pass a very old stump that has so much texture and colour in it that it seems as alive as the tree it used to be.

Yes.... I love trees... their branches, bark, leaves, needles, roots, and scars.  To paint them... is a privilege.

When I find myself in a difficult situation and I struggle with my emotions... i turn to my sketch book.  Just drawing a line, a continuous line and filling a page will bring me a calmness and focus that I haven't been able to find elsewhere.  I love lines, i love ink... when I draw... it is as though I am pulling out my restlessness, my anxiety, my thoughts.. and placing them somewhere I can look at them objectively.  

Often.. when I encounter negativity, or hurt, or difficulty.. i see it as a picture.  I guess I either have a vivid imagination, or am just a very visual person... or both.  If someone is telling me something... most of the time it is in my mind in picture form.  

So... this painting... "Soul Trap" ... came from one of my sketches.  I think I did it a couple years ago.  My desire in life is to always look for the good, to give people the benefit of the doubt and assume good intentions.  Sometimes... this gets me into a situation where I am astonished by bad behaviour or unkindness... and I guess I shouldn't be astonished... it happens.  

Anyways... I feel that there are people who are trapped.. unable to rise above bitterness, anger, resentment and hatred... and it can't be a good place to be.  It is a difficult thing to let go of those emotions... to get untangled.  

This is a painting about that.... and I hope to hell this doesn't sound preachy... it isn't meant to.

Well... I think I am ready.  I have about 14 paintings done and ready for the show at Hycroft Gallery in May.  Opening reception is May 6th at 6:30 pm.  I AM SO EXCITED!!!
Really looking forward to meeting people at this event.

I will be heading down to Vancouver on the 4th and setting up in the morning of the 5th.  This is a real first for me and I am so grateful to my friend Cindy Neufeld for suggesting I send in a submission for a show.  

Saturday, I am heading down to Penticton to get the final 3 paintings for the show photographed.  While i am down there, we will be setting up something quite new and exciting for me.  Stuart Bish, who has done the photography for my prints, and my printing is now launching Art Store Fronts.  This is a website where you can order prints, and purchase originals from various artists (myself included) directly through his website.  I will have a link on my site here and I will have ALOT more information after this weekend.