At some point in life we learn that less is more, and to keep things simple. When I first started working in a ski shop the owner was married to a woman from Switzerland. One day I was visiting at their home and saw a picture of her Grandfather.....it caught my eye right away.

This sketch is called "The Swiss Grandfather"

I love to doodle (draw images on paper), I always have. Most of my books from school have drawings along the margins....I'm sure the book owners after me were wondering "What was this person thinking?"

This image is called "On my Mind", and started from an eyeball in the middle and morphed out into many things. It's fun to let the energy just flow and see what happens.

Its been a few weeks since we came back from the Islands of Hawaii. When I was there I realized how simple life can be, and how I do not need much in my life to be happy. Since I've been home I've been struggling to pick up a brush and paint. I realize that in my art I also need to simplify, and not get caught up so much in the process but enjoy the journey. The past few days I have been looking thru old sketch books at pencil and pencil/ink sketches of mine. In those days I could not afford watercolours, brushes and paper, so used what was at hand......pencil and paper. In the next while I will be featuring these sketches from my past while I stir the creativity inside me and pick up the brush again.

Africani Man

We always had copies of National Geographic in the house. This image was created from an article on African culture.

Pencil and Paper

I just spent two weeks in Maui with my family. Warm days, tradewinds and swaying palms....it was a magical, relaxing time. I did not take any of my paints with me, but my 8 year old son brought his watercolour travel kit with one brush that is quite small and a 4 x 6 watercolour pad. He and I did a few paintings/cards, and one afternoon while sitting on the lanai watching the surf roll in I painted Maui Palms. The palms represent my wife, my son and I, and how lucky we are to share this time together. Creating this painting reminded my how little we need in life to be happy and creative. In the next while I will be creating paintings/memories of this magical place.

Mahalo

Maui Palms 4x6 Not for sale

Changing of the Seasons in Banff

It has been a long Winter in the mountains this year. We did not have a lot of snow but it has been cold and grey. Now as the snow is melting off the peaks there is the anticipation of new buds on trees, green grass and fields of flowers!

This photo was taken last summer on a bike ride not too far from home.

Ice Crystals-Canadian Rockies

The other day I was out cross country skiing with my brother-in-law west of Banff. It was -20c , the sky was a beautiful azure blue and your breath almost froze in the air as it left your lips. At one point we stopped for a rest along a creek, and a collection of frozen crystals at waters edge caught my eye as the water flowed past our viewpoint. My area of concentration was so small, so perfect. We must enjoy the journey and not always seek the destination.

Rundle Sunrise-Canadian Rockies

It's the New Year now, we celebrated a great Christmas and had lots of fun with family and friends. My brush has not been very active lately, but I have been working on one of my other passions....photography. Living in the mountains I am fortunate to have magnificent vistas all around me to savour every day.

This morning not too long after I got to work a tinge of color outside caught my attention. I went to the window and gasped, for the sunrise coming up behind Mt. Rundle was one of the most spectacular ones I have ever seen. I ran inside to get my camera and was able to capture Rundle Sunrise before it faded into the light of day and memory.

In the next while I will be sharing some of my photos as well as paintings as I move along the journey of self discovery and expression.