I love to hike!
There is just something about being outside all day and working hard physically that feels so very rewarding! My favorite place to hike is the White Mountains and taking on a 4000’ mountain. Typically, with these vertical climbs, I need to sit and catch my breath. It is in these restful moments that I study the light, leaves, bark, rocks, branches and how they all dance together in nature.
Inside this space is where I design.
When I stand up again to continue on my hike, I put the pattern together in my brain. How the lines will intertwine and react to each other as they replicate nature are important to me. With each footstep up the mountain I create a pulse of my heartbeat to create a pattern or repeat in the design.
The summit is always the epiphany. The completion of the design. It somehow comes together by the time I get to the top of a mountain. I rest for a bit and have water but honestly, I can’t get down fast enough… I need to draw with my hands, not my brain. The biggest challenge is remembering that ah-ha moment on the summit of a mountain. Yes, I could hike with a sketchbook, but I doubt my husband would be patient enough as I work through the process. There is something very refreshing about taking the time to complete the design on paper for a few hours.
The color story of these fabrics tends toward grey, brown and greens. The designs translate best with these neutral tones and tell the story that they need to tell.
Enjoy!