Happy New Year from South Sound

 This photo is way too long, I know, but it's fun to show what the sound feels like in person. The snow freshens everything up- and we even get a hint of the mountains in the background. 

Brutal Day

 

This may seem like a random photo- but the hike is brutal. I discovered a foot injury for several weeks this summer put me quite out of shape... and that 4500' of elevation hurts if you haven't been training. 

So regardless of whether or not it's likeable... a lot of suffering went into getting this photo. Maybe most of the suffering was after the fact...

Reminds me of structural geology. A lot of suffering went into that class. 

Rescue Myself

Raging and endless rushrushrushpushpushpush brown and tangled flood churning silt and debris

I smash over the rocks and feel everysingleone

A moment of clarity rose to the surface. 

As a leaf. Above the flow. Part of the current. Still me, but not fighting for breath. 

And I found a Smooth Ride instead. 

 

Zen Moment

 And another, just to keep the feeling going. 

In The Heat Of The Day

 Photos always capture perfect moments. When the sun is setting or rising. And with shots layered on each other, focused to make the photos crisp and clear both in sky and the mountains.

This is slightly altered, but still a blown out image from one of my favorite spots. A place I've found that restores me and uplifts me. 

Mountain Goals

Spending time in the mountains is it's own goal. A goal of motion and time. The simple act of leaving one's house and going to see. Getting gear in order. Training your body. It all feels so good! 

Summer Flowers

Can't help myself... sign of summer. 

Healing

This is an abstract piece about healing relationships. Just focusing energy on the idea, wanting to do so, opening oneself to the idea that things can change, can heal. 

Spring at the Capital (Washington State)

 

Spring at the Marina

Spring at The Beach

Stormy Spring Evening, Pt 2

Slightly better photo of the painting. 

Turns out a little bit of sun goes a long way in photographing artwork- e

ven if the artwork is of a storm. 

Stormy Spring Evening

A quick sketch of the Columbia River.  Painting feels great,  every time

A Snapshot - Evening in Winter

 

 

Really spring is starting so this post is a bit late, but the watercolor does feel like winter- cold and snowy. 

Home Office

The days slide by fast

Forget the ease of summer, sharp curve of the mountains, bend in the river, water rushing yellowgreengreyblue while I sit and watch the stones and pine trees and grasses waving gently across the hillside.

Instead stuck all day in front of the greyblue zombie light blur of faces floating in and out of endless call after call nonstop the mute button pressed down hard while I type and half-listen and my body hurts from sitting too long the air smells stale of me and old containers of microwaved egg.

People in real life are tempered by having to-see-you-tomorrow and the evening gin and tonic after a hard won week or to start the next hard won week and scurry of going places and doing things that seem to matter.

The mountains call me with the sweet scent of cottonwood or snow and moist dirt vegetation but the drive is too far and here comes another email ping ping ping answer now or forget forever and I replied in kind and plunge on in the endless day.

Tree of Life- just sketchin'

I had a beautiful macrame tree of life that went missing during my last move. It was about 6 feet tall and beautiful; spring-like and had the feeling of a cherry tree in the spring.

Thinking of it made me feel like sketching out the tree of life.  Anyway, here is the start. 

A Snowy Day

A sketch out the window;  the feeling of  watching snow and not wanting it to stop. 

Just Sketchin' - Remembering Getting Outdoors

Taking a short break to play around with the paints. I really wanted more time, but, it’s my busy season... so at least I got to play around a bit. 

A Moment of Zen

A fleeting moment snapped on a walk... and yet winter and happiness seem captured here, ready to be recalled when the sky become dreary and grey again. 

Winter Ocean

I haven't really worked at photos for a little while- and was surprised that few shots from this day were worth any effort in the fuzzy winter light. It was still fun to get out, go for a drive and see the ocean grey-green and cold. 

Just Sketchin' - Walking in Grassland

I've avoided other artists work as inspiration for my own, but changed it up recently. It's been like a self-directed course- observing how color and light are handled by another artist. It's quite fun, and I'm glad I switched it up.