Leaving the Gatlinburg/Sugarlands Visitor Center on the Newfound Gap Road
in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, you will encounter the west prong of the Little Pigeon River
at the first picnic area you come to. It's a quaint hollow, with many peaceful trees and
large rocks and a gently flowing and very cold stream.

Now imagine a 15 year old being allowed to use a professional level camera for the first time, with half a roll of film.
I bounced around from rock to rock taking all these 'so artsy' pictures of sunlight falling on the stream
and loving every second of it, when I looked up. 75 yards away a single red leaf caught my eye, and I just had to take the shot.

When my father developed the roll of film, all he told me was "You only took one shot that was worth anything."
And somehow, I knew exactly the picture he referred to. This one. The leaf that yelled "HEY - LOOK AT ME!"
My dad was so proud of the shot, he paid to have it blown up and framed for me that Christmas.

So when I decided to take the plunge and just start painting - for real -
as I thought of it, this work seemed an appropriate beginning for the new path.

 

Original: 11x14, acrylic on canvas
For sale: $195 - framed in a dark wood frame

13x19 Prints - Lim. Edition $50
4x6 Mini Print - framed $20
Cafe Press Items