COVERED GROUND
In August I had an exhibition at Mars Hall Gallery that featured paintings and mixed media work, as well as an accompanying book, that chronicled a long hike I took through Portugal. I walked nearly 450 miles, from the Spanish border to the southeastern point called Cabo Ste. Vincent. From there I turned north and hiked a magnificent trail called the Rota Vicentina, that literally clung to the dramatic cliffs of the western Portuguese coastline. It took me nearly a month and once home in late 2017, I spent the next few months collecting letters and journal entries, sketches and photographs to publish in a book, which is story of my solo adventure but also a collection of meaningful memories, of loss and of relationships across the span of my life. I worked for months on larger oil paintings from my sketches and created facades with operable doors, that held paintings, inspired by the village homes I passed on my hike, that held untold stories and mysteries.
At the exhibit, it was moving to watch people take this journey with me through paintings and to witness how much we all share common emotions, though the details of our experiences may differ. Thank you, Dona Bergen and Mars Hall for giving me this opportunity, and to the many people who came to see the work.
I've attached photos of the exhibition as well as an excerpt, a love letter, from my book. A few works are still available as well as copies of the book, that I hope you will enjoy.