Painting is more about discovery than certainty. I almost always begin a painting with an idea. The idea might be inspired by something someone said, a place I visited, or an event I attended. Yet, also, almost always, the painting takes on a life of its own and often turns out dramatically different from what I envisioned. Take this painting, for example. My initial brushstrokes were inspired by several pictures I had taken of different creeks during my hiking adventures. I was fascinated by the way the sun skipped across the water, tumbling lazily over fallen branches and rocks before meandering into the distance.

But as I painted, a different scene began to emerge, one that reminded me of colder days when snow covered the same creek beds, providing a different type of light. Spring is beautiful, rich with new life, but there is a quiet purity to freshly fallen snow that is simply gorgeous. Some of the most stunning landscapes I have ever witnessed have been in the winter.

I find a similar circumstance in life. Despite the best-laid plans, I am often greeted by the unexpected. And yet, it is this same unpredictability in life that usually harbors the best surprises. Behind every winter, whether painted, photographed, imagined, or lived, is a promise. Something new, something different, is patiently waiting just outside your awareness.