Over five years ago (time flies!) I hiked up to Dream Lake with 20 Ibs of painting gear and had the most glorious afternoon painting plein air. The air was crisp, and the water was an immense teal so clear that fishing seemed a completely unfair endeavor. I was more content in just watching a small trout dance along the shore than catching it. Lately, Dream Lake has been calling me.

Truth is, what I paint isn't trendy. You won't find it on the latest design blog and that's okay with me. I don't paint for recognition (while that is always nice). For me, painting is part of me—a deep calling rooted in my life experience and immersion in the natural world. In my art, I hope to invoke a sense of wonder, a memory or longing to return to a place where you can just be . . . far away from "all the things" that in the grand scheme of life, really don't matter all that much.