New print, "Quest"

My time away this past week was what I had hoped for.  I saw beautiful sites, I rested, I played, and I found time to work on my art.  I was able to complete a new mixed media piece called Quest.  I actually started it a few months ago but quickly lost steam about 30 minutes in.  I rediscovered the piece in my watercolor notebook on my trip. 

Quest encapsulates my experiences in nature on the trip.   We stopped at lakes that sparkled in the summer sun, hiked through evergreen forests, waded in creeks, and explored the depths and darkness of the earth.  The focal point of the piece is the circular light.  The day we were in the caves, man's reliance on light became very poignant as I found myself walking through a cave alone.  I remember thinking that there was a fine line between fun and fear, determined completely by a small battery in a flashlight. 

At the caves and at Crater Lake, we read how Native Americans would travel to these places on vision quests [spiritual journeys].  After visiting these sites, I could see why so many of them were moved to create images and symbols on rocks.  In a way, my creative process is not all that different.  My art is deeply connected to my own spiritual journey and understanding.  Like scaling a steep mountain or enduring the darkness of the caves, the journey can be trying at times, but one that is ultimately rewarding and inspired by a Creator greater than I.