8 x 10”

Oil on wood panel

I rarely paint in series or even in pairs — the In Wonderland diptych is my first. This pair of paintings is of Wonderland Lake in Boulder, CO; my regular walking spot, no matter the season. This is a healing place for me. I come here when my back flares up and whenever I need to clear my head. I even did a lap a few days after my shoulder surgery a couple years ago. For this reason, I wanted to capture the beauty of what this place means to me. I chose vivid colors and invented details like Monet-inspired water lilies to add a dose of mysticism to the natural scenery. Like Alice, I enjoy losing track of time and space in Wonderland.

Water is somewhat sparse in Colorado, and is thus heavily protected. I’m still getting used to being landlocked, and I’ll be honest, the lack of local swim spots gets to me sometimes — really my only complaint about living in this part of the country. While we can’t swim in Wonderland Lake (and to be honest I don’t think we’d want to… it’s a bit smelly), being in proximity to the water has a noticeably calming effect.

In Wonderland I shows a view of the lake through the trees, inviting you in to take a closer look (down the rabbit hole?).

Check out the trail that inspired this painting.