PleinAir Magazine – August 2019

August-September 2019 / http://www.outdoorpainter.com

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Thebouldersareoftentoolargeandthe
watertoorapidtowalkeasily,soat timesI have
totaketothewoods,movefurtherupstream,
andthencheckontheriverviewsperiodically
—allthewhileimaginingthebeautyaroundthe
nextbend.
A coupleof brookcrossings,infairlyhigh
waterfromthesnowmeltingoffthesummitsof
thehighpeaks,areunavoidable.Thewoodsare
thickwithbitingbugsandspiky conifers, and
the going is tough at times.

“Nature was never

limited by the four

walls of a rectangular

painting panel.”

Afteranhourorsoof thistreatment,I

starttopaylessattentiontotheslowgoing,and

start waxing intellectual as I plod along. I watch

myfeetas I askmyself,“WhatamI searching

for?”A voiceinmyheadreplies,“Youdon’thave

tosearchforbeauty.Thisexperienceis it.It is

morning,andyoudon’thaveanywhereelseto

betoday.Youhavearrived.”

I lookup,unawarethatI amstanding

besidethemostbrilliant,deep,andbeauti-

fulemeraldpoolthattheimaginationcould

possiblymuster.It beginswitha rushingwhite

waterfall,mergingandmixingintothefrothy

extravagance of the glowing green and gold

Jackson Falls in Early Spring, oil on panel, 18 x 24 in.