“The Other Side of Somewhere” 28" x 22"

This painting was the last one I completed before I became paralyzed in 1999. Living in upstate New York you can find any number of absolutely breathtaking places such as this formed by an abundance of rivers, streams and spring-fed creeks, in addition to the many lakes that formed in the retreat of long ago glaciers. Many historical estates have cultivated garden paths you can discover with rock bridges such as this, fashioned from rounded rocks that had been tumbled and shaped from glaciers as well. I can still just imagine the gurgling sound of the water as it passes on its joyful way, the rustling of a gentle breeze through the leaves, and the feel of the warm early summer sun that passes through the branches, leaving dappled patterns on the ground.

To me, I can see that I painted this with more of a steady, maybe even more confident hand, even though I was in the early stages of teaching myself to paint. The colors seem crisper and more defined. I didn’t have a designated place to paint and can remember finding a few free moments in the bustle of everyday to paint this in my bedroom with my young children frequently coming in and out. For their amusement I painted a little turtle, a lizard and a couple of birds as we are all lovers of nature.

I did not give this painting a name until recently. After being paralyzed for over twenty years and looking back at what I painted before - with the bridge crossing over to the other side of the river, it is named, “The Other Side of Somewhere”. It is also available in a high quality gicleé print.