Thoughts While Hiking

“The object isn’t to make art, it’s to be in that wonderful state which makes art inevitable.”
–Robert Henri

Thoughts and ideas steadily flow when you’re in the mountains. It may be the elevation, or the isolation, or the walking. Even with each foot fall, weighed down by heavy packs and the slow, earthy, grounding act of hiking, there is an otherworldy transformation at work. As my fellow travelers and I trekked over mountain passes and into lake-spotted basins, living by the adage of Robert Henri grew more and more effortless.

I have been dreaming of through hiking the Pacific Crest Trail with my Scout Plein Air box in tow, walking, painting and camping somewhere new each day. So when I realized the trail I was actually backpacking, converged and shared paths with the John Muir Trail and the PCT, I was ecstatic! It was only a few miles that my current path, Rae Lakes Loop, traversed alongside those two famed walkways, but my mind was brimming with ideas.

I dreamt of a series of paintings chronicling a hike through the majesty and untamed beauty of the Sierra Nevada mountain range and beyond. I would start with the John Muir Trail, all 211 miles, and after would find a local coffee shop or gallery to show the work. Maybe I would compile a book of the adventure with trail logs, notes, portraits of fellow travelers, nature sketches, journal entries! How would I pack all my supplies for that long trek? How would I store the wet canvases after the four slots in my Scout box were full? How would I be able to stay on course and not be distracted by something new to paint at every bend? If all went well the PCT would be next!

–Walter

“In every walk with Nature one receives far more than he seeks.” –John Muir

Which Art Roll Shall I Get?

Back at home, we are inundated with our own ideas and desires. There is so much to do, and so much to want to do. There has been lots of experimenting this summer:

All the Sizes!

The Sendak that started it all!

New Blue Of a Kinds in the Works!

Our next collection is in the works. We will share the date and time of the drop next week!

Orphan Square Bundles

Substack and YouTube

Watch on YouTube

Everywhere Astonishments

I had the pleasure of riding on the back of a motorcycle this week. Something I haven’t done in years. More, please. Also, I’ve been in pen purgatory for a long time as I tried to find a new favourite. I returned to my tried and true: A Vintage Rapidograph pen. They need all the TLC, but worth it. They have a truly thin line and ink that lasts for days!

My face poison ivy has kept me out of the pond and the sun this week, much to my sorrow and sleeplessness. But it is healing and I am ready to jump in!