The artwork featured in this post is a digital rendering and not an original, hand-created piece. To view my original artwork, please visit my gallery
🍂 A Place That Feels Like Home
The Hudson Valley has always been more than just a beautiful place. It’s where I spent my childhood, and later, where I raised my own children. Over time, the landscape has become part of my internal landscape, tied to memories, emotions, and a quiet sense of belonging.
There are so many spots here that stir something deep: the Shawangunk Ridge, the Catskills, Lake Mohonk, Lake Minnewaska. Each holds its own kind of beauty, and each has found its way into my work in some form.
I didn’t always notice the scenery around me. It’s easy to overlook the beauty in the places where we live and work. Daily routines occupy our minds, and we have a tendency to look past our surroundings. When traveling out of town for vacations or weekend getaways, I would find myself in awe of the new landscapes around me. Maybe it was because I was seeing them for the first time, or maybe I’d spent too much time looking beyond what was already right in front of me at home.
I used to paint scenes from places I visited, often ignoring the views just outside my window. But once I slowed down and reflected on my life, I developed a reverence for this place, one that’s shaped so much of who I am.
While I’ve painted several landscapes inspired by the Hudson Valley, there’s one piece I’m working on now that feels especially close to home. It’s based on a spot I walk by often: a small, still body of water with bare white birch trees rising from the wetlands, surrounded by trees in full fall color (my favorite season). The air there always feels calm. Centered. Like a place where thoughts can drift freely and quietly.
It’s hard to put into words exactly what this place means to me. That’s why I turn to painting. My hope is that the finished piece carries some of that stillness and familiarity, and maybe even helps someone else feel at home, too.
