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Why paint the creeks?  I, like many of you, have been attracted to watery landscapes for a long time. Early Memories of times at the beach and all the lakes rivers and creeks since then come back when I work on these paintings

The waters edge is still my favorite place. It ticks all my senses. The sounds, the smells, the views, the feel of the land beneath my feet, the taste of the ocean. The creeks and rivers do the same (don't taste the water!). Water in all its locations, is a significant reoccurring subject for me.
Another reason for painting the creeks is to bring attention to the creeks of Gainesville and pretty much everywhere.   The creeks are often where the water shed starts. What happens to our water starts there. Very often these are beautiful places. The light in the woods is unique. Where the water goes tells the story of the land. 

  This painting is done on top of an abstract I did many years ago. I wanted to use this panel to make a new painting but didn't want to destroy the old painting completely.
The full title for this painting is Evidence of City Life, Rattlesnake Creek, Dry Season. I have been walking by this very short arm of the creek for several years and have done small sketches and lots of photos. The area around the creek got drastically changed by the Helen Hurricane. Trees that shaped the shadow pasterns are gone and weeds have replaced them. I'm glad I still have lots of references. It is done with oil sticks over an abstract acrylic painting titled Evidence Of City Life. It was originally an 24x48 cradle panel. Some years ago I cut the top 12 in. off and made a new 12 x 24 sun set painting.. (Yin Yang Sunset) This painting, 36 x 24, is over the remaining part of the original abstract. Some parts of the first painting can be seen through the oil paint. The sky area with the diagonal line is all part of the original acrylic painting. Some of that painting can also be seen through the grass in the bottom left corner and, in a couple of places, lines made in the acrylic under painting show up under the oil. Over the years, I had several ideas to combine the original abstract with another painting. I'm happy with the decisions I finally came to.

    

On the right is the original mixed media painting, Evidence of City Life. You can still see some this painting most readily at the top.