"Respite" East Fork Branch of the Little Miami River. 16x13" colored pencil on 4ply mat board.
Someone suggested that I should place a person in a canoe on the river and or include a Great Blue Heron. I decided to take the suggestion of the Heron, as I was considering adding a bird. Riverscapes are interesting on their own, but adding an inhabitant increases the understanding of a place. And I've seen many Herons in this area.
As to the canoer: the river is bloated after a series of unprecedented storms. It would take a pretty irresponsible person to embark in a canoe. The current which appears placid on the surface moves quickly, obscuring submerged roots that could easily snag and overturn a small craft. The fact that the viewer is the only human presence is reminiscent of a few centuries prior, when humans and their structures were less invasive. Isn't it a relief to leave the crush of people to experience this place alone?
