A painting of trees and sticks in the snow. Orange leaves that have not fallen from the trees hang limp while branches stutter energy across the scene.
A painting of warm orange and yellow flowers in front of a dark green and blueish gray background of trees in the distance.
A painting of spring flowers in abstract slashes and blurs of yellow, green, pink, red, and purple. The light blue sky can be seen among the flora.
A painting of the energy and shapes of the blues, greens, and browns of the forest understory.
A painting of the light and wind in a pine forest. The colors are cool and warm greens, yellows, and browns.
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A painting of trees and rocks along a lake. The water reflects the trees, rocks and cloudy sky. The colors are warm and cool greens, blues, tans and orange.

Truly, we live with mysteries too marvelous to be understood.

How grass can be nourishing in the mouths of the lambs.
How rivers and stones are forever in allegiance with gravity while we ourselves dream of rising.
How two hands touch and the bonds will never be broken.
How people come, from delight or the scars of damage, to the comfort of a poem.

Let me keep my distance, always, from those who think they have the answers.

Let me keep company always with those who say “Look!” and laugh in astonishment, and bow their heads.

-Mary Oliver

Mysteries, Yes

Why I Paint

The poem above by Mary Oliver expresses my awe at the natural world and puts into words what I hope to achieve in paint. Painting is constantly challenging me to be open to new things and it never lets me assume I know the answers. Yet the creation of a painting that can be shared and enjoyed and remind us all of the wonders of the world, especially the natural world, is uniquely its own form of beauty, excitement, and wonder in its process and final form.