Morning on the Animas
12" X 12"
Acrylic on Canvas
I had to get out and paint—a strong urge I could not ignore.
I loaded the car up with everything. Usually I gather up just my watercolors,
but this time I thought I’d try painting with acrylics. That meant more stuff,
but for where I was going, it would be manageable. I’d seen a spot along the
Animas River that looked promising and the river had been begging me to paint
it.
The Animas is special. It holds a singular place in the
hearts of the people who live here and I’ll bet many who visit the region take
the river home in their dreams. I know I did before we moved here. I thought
this tie to the river was just my own kooky nature nutty-ness. Soon, I realized
it wasn’t just me.
Its full name, River of Lost Souls, might hold a clue. Are
we drawn to it because, we ourselves are lost souls? Or, perhaps because we are
found again—here along the Animas? Maybe the river is a thread to the lost
souls in each of our lives. Somehow, I know that whoever named it must have felt
this connection too.
It was a bright, clear, cool autumn morning that we all live
for. The river sparkled in the sun. I found the perfect place to camp out where
the morning light tickled my artistic soul. About 5 hours later, I left with
this painting.
