The Far & Wide Collection: Savoring the Boundless Spirit of Summer
The Far & Wide Collection is inspired by the spaciousness that summer invokes each year, and the tracks of time that allow for daydreaming, resting, or exploring. For me, having school-aged kids has helped remind me of the carefree days of summer that I enjoyed years ago. Watching them soak in afternoons splashing in the town pool, savor open-ended reading time, and run barefoot through the grass (squealing with delight, with popsicle juice dripping down their chins) brings me right back to my own childhood summers.
“Blissful”, 24” x 18”
While it’s hard to fully immerse yourself in the summer-kid mindset when you have grownup responsibilities, there are glimmers of openness and exploration that come with the season no matter your age. The simple act of getting out of the house and going somewhere different—whether to a familiar vacation spot or a brand-new place recommended by a friend—is sometimes enough for me to gain a little refreshing inspiration.
“Rolling”, 12” x 12”
This summer brought a mix of outings both familiar and brand new, this time with a renewed appreciation for the Midwestern landscape. The bluffs, rolling farm fields, and open sweeping skies that surrounded me as a kid feel new again after spending the past 18 years living in other parts of the country. The farm where I grew up is nestled in the Driftless Area—or “Bluff Country”—an area of the Midwest that was bypassed by ice sheets during the last glacial period. The lack of glacial drift left a unique landscape with steep hills, deeply-carved river valleys, and forested ridges. These features are all the more stunningly beautiful when punctuated with rolling farm fields to the backdrop of an expansive, cloud-speckled sky. Venturing out and around the area inspired the pieces “With The Wind” and “Rolling”, with their sweeping clouds in larger-than-life skies.
“With The Wind”, 36” x 24”
Other pieces in the Far & Wide Collection, like “Dancing on Water” and “Interlude”, draw inspiration from the landscape of northern Minnesota, with its magnificent lake views, towering evergreens, boundless skies, and even a few distant mountains. The glow of early morning light accentuates the edges of grasses, rocks, and tree trunks in the foreground in these pieces, capturing a favorite time of day for me when I’m in “vacation mode”.
“Interlude”, 36” x 24”
As I worked on these pieces, I reflected on the spirit of adventure, and the importance of making space for inspiration and renewal. Summer—to me—is the season for vast expanses, open-ended exploration, and childlike play. Each piece sets out to capture that endless-summer feeling in its depth of perspective and warm, glowing light.
“Dancing on Water”, 40” x 30”
Thank you for joining me on the journey, and taking the time to enjoy my latest collection of work along the way. The collection opens to members of my collectors list on Thursday, 09/17 at 10am Eastern/9am Central, and to the public on Friday, 09/18.
If you have a friend or loved one who you think would enjoy my work, I’d be honored if you’d spread the word by sending them the link to my new collection!