As a sort of bookend to the year, my last painting of 2024, like my first, was inspired by our backyard nature center. I have walked those trails for many years. There’s a peace of being present in this little oasis tucked discreetly in an urban setting. Sometimes I see no other people and it feels like my own private sanctuary filled with birds and deer and coyotes. It’s magical and no matter my mood at the onset of a hike, I always leave feeling better.