Winter Loveliness Inspires Me.

Nobo (North Boulder)

Nobo (North Boulder)

Many times while I'm out riding my bike, hiking or traveling I'll see things in the landscape that inspire me with either color, pattern, design or texture. Lately on my winter time rides, runs and hikes I've been seeing many of these elements and day dreaming of how to put them into my work. I will do a mid-day ride out by the Boulder Reservoir, which brings me a long the east side of this body of water, the constant freezing and thawing of the water have left miniature, cracked ice bergs along the shore. The ice breaking apart into patterns with variation in color from the darkness of the water below to the lightness of the bluish/white ice above. These patterns are amazing as well as the color differences, it makes me stop and stare in appreciation. It doesn't hurt that there are many bald eagles, falcons, hawks and coyotes to wonder at too.

I've also been noticing the random patterns of cattle and horses on the open range and the variation of color between the animals and snow covered ground, yellow, brown, black and whitish blues. The way the firs and pines create a circle below them in the snow, a shallow well of sorts and the contrast of the white/blue snow with the dark earth in the center. All of this is recorded and stored in my mind where I dream of ways of incorporating these patterns, color, textures and ideas into a series of boxes. Something minimal inspired by the winter loveliness that surrounds me here in Colorado being expressed and shown in new spring and summer work that feels contemporary and organic.
I should carry my camera with me during these rides and hikes so I can document what I see, sometimes I do but perhaps more often would be better.