As a new artist to the summer art festival circuit this past summer, I’ve learned a lot about all the work it takes to show one’s art at an event. Each show opened my eyes to new tidbits of information, industry tips from other artists, and the ins and outs of consumer behavior. One of the most interesting observations I made was that some of my most popular images are the ones I’ve captured close to home.

We live in a 1940 Tudor cottage in a historic neighborhood filled with mature trees and adjacent to a beautiful city park and a small lake. We love it here. I can often be seen sporting my camera around the house, in the yard, or out on walks with my husband and dog. It’s on these short jaunts that I frequently find interesting compositions.

One of the most popular series of images I started showing this year is the Bee series. The birdbath that sits just outside our front door in a perennial flower bed became a favorite watering hole to some honey bees. The bees visited every day, all summer long. We had never seen so many lined up on the edge of the birdbath. I love hearing people’s stories and memories about bees or beekeeping when they see my images.

Alley Squirrel was taken in the alley behind our house. The squirrel in the photo made a nest in a small box nailed to a utility pole. It was wary of my presence when I approached with my long lens but tolerated me long enough to capture a memorable expression.

One of my newest images, Sparrow Convention, will be exhibited for the first time at the 43rd Western Spirit Art Show and Sale at the CFD Old West Museum this coming March. I took this image right out my dining room window.

The city park and lake in our neighborhood is host to a plethora of urban wildlife. Sometimes though, the weather creates unique opportunities that go beyond the norm. One such day was very foggy and cold, with hoarfrost covering all the trees and shrubs. The strong contrast between white fog and branches and the dark, wet tree trunks allowed me to notice three old, wind-shaped cottonwood trees as if I’d seen them for the first time. Winter Lean won Best of Show in an art show in Brigham, Utah, and has been shown at other exhibits. I was so interested in the winter trees, I decided to create a four-season retrospective of them. The Four Seasons is now available as a limited edition giclée.

One of my most memorable backyard experiences occurred at a previous home, during a summer with large wildfires in the area. Our skies were thick with smoke for weeks. One evening, a flight of Blue-Tipped Danner dragonflies landed in our chokecherry trees. They hung out for several hours before sunset. We had never seen so many at once before, or since. Dragonflies are very symbolic to many people. I count myself extremely lucky to have experienced such an event.

As an artist, it’s easy for me to get caught up in dreams of travel, thinking of places I’d like to photograph or things I’d like to see. But more often than not, the most wonderful occurrences have happened right where I live, close to home.

Close to Home

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