My Side of the Mountain
My Side of the Mountain (2016)
24¼x18¼ Pastel on Pastel Paper
Original is Sold
Down to the stream to fetch water, it’s all part of his morning routine. Living on the mountain offers absolute freedom, but requires structure; life here is simple, but it’s not easy. While nothing compares to the deep peace, the solitude can be quite lonely.
The idea of a remote cabin in the woods has always appealed to my own complicated love-hate attitude toward society, which is the genesis of this painting. As a kid, I loved Jean George's book My Side of the Mountain, about a boy living on his own in the woods. I see this piece as that character, Sam, all grown up. By the story's end, Sam realizes life is about balancing the desire to live off the land with the need to be with the people he loves, a sentiment I deeply relate to. Working in pastel, I focused on that rugged isolation, capturing his muscular, bearded form by the water while a soft sunbeam cuts through the dense canopy to illuminate his secluded cabin.
