Walk in the Woods

Walk in the Woods

Oil on canvas

30” x 24”

(available for purchase, contact artist for pricing)

“I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees.” -Henry David Thoreau

“I retired to a secret place in a grove, and began to call upon the Lord…” -Joseph Smith, Jr.

This painting depicts a scene in the MacQueen Forest Preserve in Kirkland, Illinois. Particularly during the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic, forest preserves became our family’s place of escape and refuge. We enjoyed the fresh air, exercise and beauty that can be found during a walk in the woods. Who can leave the woods without feeling both a little taller as Thoreau said and also like we are part of something much bigger than ourselves, as Joseph Smith did? Green is not normally a color that I love to use in my paintings. I’m not sure why. While working on this painting, I did come to appreciate the soothing green tones and the calming mood that they create. Maybe it is time to start a green phase in my paintings? I hope that this painting will transport the viewer, or maybe inspire a walk in the woods.