Art Notes

The pleasure of a dramatic plein air study, like the pleasure of the majestic natural vista that inspires it, is timeless.

Some years ago, when I first started hauling my painting apparatus deep into the woods, I came upon Stanley Creek bubbling through the foothills of Idaho's spectacular Sawtooth Mountains. I was entranced by the sere brown of the autumn grasses and the crisp clarity of the water dancing down the mountainside as I set to work with bold strokes to capture the entrancing scene.

For many years after, this painting held an honored place in the Kinkade home. Then, after visiting our gallery in Boise, I decided to offer Stanley Creek as my first print to celebrate the beauty of the Sawtooth region.

Looking back, when I came upon the setting of Stanley Creek so many years ago, I suffered a momentary pang of regret that I had not brought my fishing gear instead of my paint and canvas. But now I see that instead of trout, I caught a memory of God's glory reflected in the icy waters of Stanley Creek.