Lily Pads at Hosmer Lake

Lily Pads at Hosmer Lake
oil, 15 x 30
Sue Favinger Smith @2010

Hosmer Lake is one of the most beautiful fly fishing and kayaking lakes in Oregon. Surrounded by marshes and snow capped volcanic mountains, it is a very spiritual place, one of renewal and contentment. Surrounded by birdsong, buzzing and flitting dragonflies, the bitterns, osprey and bald eagle - it's as close to the natural world as you can get.

The Golden Hour - Sparks Lake

"The Golden Hour - Sparks Lake"
@2010 Sue Favinger Smith

Sparks Lake is large and shallow, perfect for human powered watercraft in the summer. We went hiking, wanting to follow the Ray Atkeson Trail - Ray Atkeson's beautiful photography books usually feature this lake.

We decided to venture on beyond the end of the paved section, then took what we thought was the short cut trail back to the main staging area. Unfortunately, I over-rode my husband's opinion at a crucial Y in the trail and we ended up on the longer loop trail. He graciously refrained from saying "I-told-you-so" and I got some better views of the lake from which to create this painting.

Most important lesson learned? Draw a map of the trail network, don't rely on memory. Oh, and wear insect repellent.

Near Mitchell - Oregon

This is one of the images I've entered in the OPA Western Regional Show - I enter every year but haven't gotten in, a story so many artists understand. The competition is intense and the artists who do get in are at the top of their game. I do it because it keeps me motivated to push myself into better and better work, to not be satisfied with what I've done before, and if I ever do get in I will then know that all this work is only starting to pay off. I doubt if I will ever paint at the level I aspire to, but that doesn't stop me from constantly working toward that goal.