Marsh on the Back Way to Big Rapids

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The countryside to the northeast of Big Rapids, Michigan, is just gorgeous. The road curves around the edge of the marsh here, and it’s a good spot to stop and admire the view. While painting today, I was listening to an interview with Ted Genoways about the environmental consequences of petroleum mining in the Canadian tar sands. Maybe it's because my head was already in the North with the painting, but I found it particularly compelling. And very scary. I highly recommend listening here, or reading his article in the December issue of Outside magazine.

Northern Swamp

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I always love passing by this little swamp on our hike through the woods out to Nordhouse Dunes. Actually, I usually miss the swamp on the way there, as we leave the trail just before it to go bashing through the woods in search of an elusive “more direct” trail, which sometimes exists and sometimes doesn’t. (Some of you will understand this only too well.) This painting is at the end of the day, on our way back, with the last of the sun coming through the trees and lighting up the grasses on the other side of the water.

Nordhouse Dunes No. 2

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This is one of my favorite places on earth. You have to hike a little bit to get here, but it’s so worth it. Friends and I once hiked in at sunset, nestled our sleeping bags into the warm, soft sand, and fell asleep as the stars came out. Let me tell you, in the wee morning hours, that sand is freezing cold and rock hard. (The stars are spectacular, though.)

Teatown Lake

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This was Teatown Lake yesterday. It was threatening rain, I was sitting though I prefer standing, and I was feeling uninspired. Then along came two wonderful, enthusiastic, friendly women, who sat down on either side of me, oohed and ahhed, asked lots of questions, and generally cheered me up and gave me the little lift I needed to pay better attention to my painting. So cool—I hope I run into them again!

And then today we took an advanced-placement art class from the high school out to Teatown for their first plein-air session. What a perfect afternoon it turned out to be—sunny and low 70s, with the fall colors really coming on. It was cool to see everyone’s paintings come together as they experimented with what the paint could do. 

Lake Minnewaska

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This is not the painting I was supposed to do yesterday. The plan was to hike with my friend Peter up to one of his favorite views in Minnewaska State Park and paint there. Halfway into the hike, though, I fell and twisted my ankle pretty badly, and that was it for that hike. We limped back down to the lake, which is actually a gorgeous spot. Because of its accessibility, it’s a popular location, and over the course of the painting I encountered several nice dogs, lots of kids ignoring their parents’ exhortations not to get their pants wet, and one perceptive little 8-year-old (“It looks like what I see, but it’s a lot more colorful.”) I will definitely be back, hopefully soon. I just love the combination of rock cliffs, pitch pines, and water up there.

Here is a photo of Peter, helping to tote my gear. Behind him is another view of Lake Minnewaska.

Blue Mountain No. 2

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Another view of the lake in the Blue Mountain Preserve. A peaceful morning, punctuated by the occasional dog walker reasoning with her dog as if it were human. But most of the time it was just me and little scurrying woodland critters. I love this early stage of fall, when most of the trees are still green, with isolated spots of brightness.

Teatown Lake

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I brought a thermos of tea to keep me warm while I painted today, but the cup rolled into the lake, never to be seen again. And I discovered that I cannot drink scalding hot tea straight from the thermos. But it was a beautiful, sunny morning at Teatown. A big blue heron let me get quite close, and a swan swam over to see what I was doing. There are so many colors on the water this time of year--the trees are just hinting at changing, the lily pads are still bright but with a touch of gold, and there’s some nice purple-y stuff floating around with them.