Away from the madness of society, one is free to observe nature’s lessons.

Violent erosion. Gnarled roots. Grey rock, cracked, shattered and worn. A fallen tree. An owls nest. The carcass of a dead deer. Birds, looping around in the open air. There is infinite meaning and endless value in every view, if only we become quiet and open enough to read the scripture of the landscape.

The inspirational pull to make time for this series hit me at the exact same time that COVID 19 reared its ugly head in Canada. As everything began to shut down and with an increased (and potentially unjustified) demand for distance, I decided to break free from the four walls of my studio and experience the act of painting 'En Plein air” - in the open air. I was alone, out in nature with nobody to bother me but the birds and the occasional passerby offering lighthearted sentiment or encouragement from afar. We have the kindest of strangers in this province.

The time to myself was a real blessing. It’s amazing how clear things become when you retreat into yourself. Painting from life is an extraction of time; a capturing of the essence of existence during a specific moment in an experience. All created since March, 2020, my En Plein Air paintings seek to explore the act of observation, and most especially how experiencing discomfort can affect both the act and the outcome of the creative process. My goal was to remain in greater equanimity with my surroundings as I attempted to place a bookmark in the current spirit, vitality and essential character of our local landscapes.