Buddy

Using loose brushstrokes and bright pastel greens and yellows, I’ve recreated a memory first captured in a photograph of my mom, our cat Buddy, and me. At the time, we were living on Pine Lake in Issaquah, Washington. A place that shaped my earliest understanding of the natural world.

Mom always carried a deep love and respect for nature, something she thoughtfully instilled in my brother and me while growing up. Pine Lake became our classroom, from our dock in the backyard, we would examine small specimens gathered from the water, turning quiet afternoons into moments of discovery. With Buddy faithfully at our side.

This painting captures one of those simple moments, three companions leaning closer to the water, curious and present. Through color, movement, and memory, I return to that dock honoring the environment that raised me and the love that taught me how to see it.