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This watercolor took me a bit to understand the full scope of what I was thinking about as I painted it. It evolved from a photo of the waterway nearby last winter, and then it took on a life of its own. I was thinking about the floods from late last fall, as well as wildfires that have scarred the earth causing mudslides and flooding. The painting grew into a statement I wanted to make about the environment, but also about the beauty that is still there in a way, after these kinds of incidents. I wrote this piece to go along with the painting. I hope you enjoy it!

It's Nature's Way is a watercolor landscape of a stream in the early morning, chilly and serene. At first glance the story we see shows slow-moving water reflecting pink clouds and a winter sky. A hint of the sun warms the snow banks and casts reflections in the creek. The trees lead you back to an unknown place, their lacework of lichen-covered branches brush the sky. But what is the story of the dark snag? Standing weathered and broken - but not defeated - it is in stark contrast to these tranquil surroundings. It stands as a testament to nature's perseverance.

It's Nature's Way is about transitions, from snowfall through to thaw. Atmospheric rivers bring heavy rainfall and flooding. We watch as the water advances and overflows the banks. As the temperature drops, a hard freeze locks the grassy waterfront in ice. Heavy rain has saturated the ground and in the chaos of a windstorm trees were toppled, branches broken and set adrift. Fast-moving waters bring logjams and change the course of the waterway. Our snag once stood at the edge of this creek. After many seasons of change it is now a brittle reminder of its previous grandeur, with a broken branch lying in the water to one side. More transitions will come. The red twig dogwood brightens the scene with color and hope. The grasses, flowers and birds have dropped seeds and there is new life underground, waiting for the perfect time to show itself.

A calm winter morning, beautiful in muted blues and grays, frozen over and silent. A stream inviting us to walk its shoreline back into those woods - just be careful of thin ice, it is, after all, in transition - It's Nature's Way.