Have you ever thought about when you have your best ideas? Or what you are doing when ideas flow freely and problems seem easy to fix? My best ideas tend to come when I am away from the outside world and free to contemplate things without interruption. For example, I always seem to have a stream of creative consciousness when I fly somewhere -- as soon as the aircraft gets off the ground, I better have a notebook close by! The same thing happens when I go outside .
Our neighborhood is adjacent to a bird sanctuary and the protected Shell Key nature preserve. While it's popular for tourists, it really can be a quiet place for nature walks and blissful, scenic boating adventures...if you time it right.
The kayaking around the preserve is enchanting, with several mangrove caves to explore, sometimes even a visit from a manatee, dolphin or cormorant along the way.
I had no idea the when I moved here the extent of the playground we had stumbled on, but as we explored more and more, it quickly became the inspiration for my latest series of artwork.
One day after beaching on a sandy spit, we encountered a very regal Great Blue Heron staring off toward the horizon. It was the perfect day, with the beach super white and the water clean and clear aqua. Back in the studio I got to work to document the adventure.
"Heron by the Mangroves," 5 x 5 inches. Oil on Panel. This painting is part of my May 2022 exhibition, Finding HOME, dedicated to the wild, beautiful habitat and nature of the coast.
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