Description
Divided Paths, Shared Forest
Soft pastel on sanded paper
“Divided Paths, Shared Forest” is inspired by the Roaring Forks area of Great Smoky Mountain National Park, where a quiet trail splits and invites you to choose which way to wander. Sunlight filters through a canopy of summer green, catching the rough bark of the trees and the soft undergrowth below. The scene feels peaceful at first glance, but the gentle fork in the path holds a deeper question beneath its beauty.
In this painting, the forest becomes a metaphor for the country we share—one landscape, many directions. The two paths suggest the choices we face collectively and individually, especially in unsettled times. Yet no matter which way the trail turns, we remain held within the same woods, breathing the same air, rooted in the same earth.
Rendered in soft pastel on sanded paper, layers of pure pigment build rich color and texture, from the cool shadows resting on the ground to the warm light catching the leaves. The result is a scene that invites you to pause, reflect, and consider your own path forward—while remembering that, in the end, we walk through a shared forest together.
