Into the Woods

In October, I helped celebrate the 400th birthday of Woody C. Guthtree at Floracliff Nature Sanctuary, in Fayette County, Kentucky.  Woody is an unassuming chinquapin oak and folks were quite surprised to have such an ancient arboreal citizen in the area.  Walking in the woods that day, I felt absolutely in my element and I knew that this is a natural direction for my art work to take me. The next weekend, David and I went to Houston to visit our daughter.  On exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston was a wonderful exhibit of German Impressionists. Featured were three artists: Max Liebermann, Lovis Corinth and Max Slevogt. As I was exclaiming about these artists and their depictions of the woods, David remarked that the Germanic tribes were tree-worshipers and I said that I was right there with them!
    Returning to Kentucky, I set to musing about what painting to make for the Advent Angel Art exhibit at St. Peter's in Paris, KY.  Fortunately, I did some musing on the trails at Blue Licks State Park.  Walking down the trail toward the Licking River I was amazed to see a blue tree through the arcade of trees lining the trail.  A sycamore along the river and in shadow took on a distinctly blue hue.  Reaching the river road and looking up, the sycamores had become the glowing white that brightens the winter landscape in Kentucky.  I knew I had my angel for the exhibit.  I hope you can come see my Angel Tree painting at St. Peter's during Advent.  And I'm adding a painting that I'm working on. It is from the edge of a pine forest at Sewanee.