Bugs and Blooms

Spring is slowly arriving across the mountains of North Carolina. The birds are busy, the daffodils and tree blooms are bursting, in spite of overnight temperatures leaving shallow puddles slicked with ice.

Tiny insects congregate in the broad strips of sunlight that can, for now, still penetrate to the forest floor. Their tiny wings bend the light making their flurry of motion glow white as if opening a portal to another world.

Trying new things is always a good way to welcome the season. In this case… Bugs, butterflies and with all the variety of tree blossoms, I intend to give them a try as well! I’m adding some texture to backgrounds as a way of experimenting with what can be done with acrylic gels and pastes when combined with something representational. While I don’t have a proper studio yet, these small experiments are easy to do.

This place couldn’t be more unlike Oklahoma and yet North Carolina shares with that state such a variety of landscapes. Farms of cattle surrounded by mountains are a contrast from long views of Oklahoma ranches. I am hoping to get some good reference shots of a particular bull nearby.

For now, a sick kitty has me staying close to home. He has been with us nearly 17 of his 18 years. He is a rescue cat and is one of the great loves of our lives. He has been through everything with us and I hope there will be a little more to come yet. After surviving cancer two years ago, each day since has been a gift for which we are grateful. The next few weeks are critical and, so far, he seems quite content. In a world so full of hate lately, he is a beacon of unconditional love. It is no wonder we love our furry children so much.

Book Update:

• The book is now available at Muskoka Books and can be purchased from their on-line store or at their location at Verandah on the main street in Bracebridge, Ontario
• I will be attending the OWFI conference in Oklahoma City in May. If you are attending, hard copies of “Once Imagined” will be available there. E-mail me if you’d like more information!