"Transition" 24" x 18"

“Transition” was inspired by the many exploratory walks I took through the ever changing upstate New York woodlands; this particular one as the seasons meld seamlessly from late summer into autumn. Sometimes there was a beaten or paved path as depicted in this painting, inviting you to follow along and pulling you in deeper to discover where it leads. This picture in particular reminds me of the beautiful walkways through the university campus and near our beloved high school. The ‘beaten path’, followed by others who have gone before; offering a sense of security in knowing the surface is smooth and traversable with safely defined boundaries. (This is the type of pathway I search for now in my wheelchair.)

However, when I was a young person there was a completely different story. You would more often than not find me roaming off alone through the muffled silence of the untamed woods that covered a large percentage of our 100 acre tract, connected on every side to miles of more woods on neighboring properties. The valley we lived in was carved by retreating glaciers, leaving sloping, forested hillsides and numerous spring-fed creeks. While hiking around you must be on constant vigil for gnarly tree roots, outcroppings of rock, stepping over the occasional fallen lichen-covered tree trunk or a random hole. I usually ended up high in the branches of a tree. There is just something so absolutely liberating in feeling the gentle breeze against your skin as it rustles the leaves around you and causes subtle shifting of the trees. I will always cherish the solitude of immersing my entire being in nature and just observing the clouds moving across the cerulean sky, listening to the tinkling and bubbling of clear water over dark stones in little forest creeks - accompanied by birdsong and chattering of squirrels and smelling the earthy dampness of the accumulated leaves and pine needles on the forest floor. What great memories!

“Transition” took me a good year to paint. I always start with the sky and the shadow of trees in the background and slowly layer on top of it. Because this painting is in the portrait direction and taller than I can reach, I had to turn it upside down to paint the top leaves and branches and horizontal to paint the tree trunks. if you see this in person, there is cool texture on the trunks that actually looks like wood grain, and leafy texture on the leaves that gives them an extra dimension. And, as usual, there is the analogy of transitioning into a different ‘season’ of my life.

This painting is currently for sale via my website. Just a little reminder, the price listed on my paintings reflects the amount of effort, the level of difficulty and perseverance it took for me to complete the painting working through the physical pain and limitations I struggle with on a daily basis. Some can be finished in a few months - others, due to size and detail - take a year or more to finish. Many of my paintings are also available as a high quality giclée print. Thank you!