My life and art nestle between forest and meadow.
Our natural surroundings and constellation of neighbors inspire these stories and art. May they be an entertaining, stimulating refreshment for armchair nature lovers in the city, rooftop gardeners and dreamers, outdoor explorers young and old.
ART BIO
During my toddlers’ nap time, I glanced around the kitchen and sketched the eggbeater on a whim. My version was askew, which reflected my life. However, the feel of the pencil on paper was pleasing, and the eggbeater metaphor made me smile. That meditation on the blank page 50 years ago opened the portal to artwork, which has been essential for balancing inner peace with life’s drama.
In the beginning, I especially did not want to take a class. I did not want anyone telling me what to do. I allowed shapes and colors to emerge without judgment, without an agenda for end products. In the kitchen, between family hubbub and dinner preparation, I managed to carve out short, quiet spaces. An undefined wispy line extended itself. Messy paint blobs morphed into something more. Over the decades, themes recur: stars, pre-history and time; how people connect with each other and the earth.
Now that I’ve trekked around the sun 78 times, I most value communication with people and living with my gallant husband in wild lands.
Gretchen Butler Wild Art 