I ride through island woods on an Arabian mare.  Lagoon on left, cathedral trees to the right. 

Mist rises in a thin veil as if illuminating an alternate world. 

A moldery scent of greenery gone by and brilliant red leaves, form patterns on the trail. Colors are intense after a rain. Damp brings out the richest color, like stones, luminous under water. Cedar tree appears green and I see alizarin, gold and blue. There are a thousand shades of green. Sun strikes foliage and light glistens white.  Deepest shadows are as dark as raven. 

In my studio I recall shapes, colors, lines and form. I remember smells and sounds, memorialize the place with paint. I begin with thin layers of oily warm transparent hues, mutating into thick painterly brush marks. Each layer stamps the recollection of that day’s ride, the pieces unfold in a contemplative manner. 

The finished piece is a mosaic of light, weaving and interlacing patterns and color.  Like stained glass, they represent the mystery beneath the surface, the layer woven between worlds. I paint this island as sanctuary.  A woodland temple and shelter from the storm.