Marlette Peak View

This painting was inspired by the beauty of the Tahoe Basin. After several weeks of heavy smoke, the wind cleared out the Eastern Sierra and I was able to get out for a mountain bike ride. I had grown accustomed to the world being a hazy, orange hue, and suddenly everything was vivid gemstone colors and crystal clear. The brilliance of the day made me breathe deeper, stand up straighter, ride harder and smile more.   

 “I have always painted pictures where human love floods my colors.” Marc Chagall

 It was an enjoyable day, and I was quite happy and satisfied at the end of it. I’ve actually had a bit of trouble with the work and the write up because the day was so spectacular that I felt some self-reproach. I’ve been having difficulty processing the number of Covid cases, and the deaths. It’s hard for me to reckon the great day I had with the misery that so many families are going through. I recognize that such is life, but I’ve been working through some struggles lately and coming to terms with this. I’m lucky to have cycling and my art work to help, along with the words of Marc Chagall.

 This work is framed in gallery natural wood and shadowbox style. The acrylic glazing is anti-reflective, anti-static, scratch-resistant and 99% UV filtering. Framed size is approximately 16" wide x 13.25" high x 1.25" deep.

Natural Rhythm Series:

This series of work reflects my experiences attempting to avoid smoke of the 2020 wildfire season on the West Coast. While Covid-19 complicated things, I was able to travel in my van safely and mostly escape the ill effects of smoke. My sketches and studies were the meditations to spark ideas.  Developing the images further in my studio has allowed me to expand on my thoughts of this time and enjoy the natural beauty once more. 

 “My soul can find no staircase to heaven unless it be through earth's loveliness.” Michelangelo

 The difference between the clear and smoke filled days was dramatic, and reflected different palettes, vistas and depth of field. I perceived stronger, brighter colors as the air cleared after a few days of smoke.  Using a glazing technique on these pieces reflects that intensity. The same technique helped build the muted warm colors and indistinct shapes viewed through the veil of smoke in other works. A subtle shift in wind changed a scene in such a brief period of time I was inspired to record the environmental dichotomy, among other things. 

 While fire is a necessary element of earth’s ecology, the combination of climate change, over 100 years of suppression, and the increase in population in the wildland-urban interface has created yet another devastating fire season. How are humans going to manage this conflict going forward? What clarity can be gained and which solutions will be obscured? The natural rhythm may be ancient, but each generation must learn to adjust as the rhythms change during its time here. My reflections ask more questions than they answer, and I hope my work brings you peace with the chaos of these thoughts.