Springtime in Kansas City

Springtime in Kansas City can be glorious. That sentence embodies the idea I intended to feature in this newsletter. And I will. But before that …

I’d like to acknowledge that Spring can also be a treacherous and devastating season. Before we reflect on the beauty of Spring, I’d like to say my heart goes out to those who have been injured and suffered from the storms that have assaulted our region. I’m wishing you all the best, with hope for full and rapid recovery.

Spring brings rebirth and an explosion of life and color. This year, we have hummingbirds earlier than ever before and they seem to enjoy the peonies blooming in our backyard.

And like peonies, tulips are a welcome spring occurence. They are surprisingly difficult to photograph, but I keep trying.

In Spring it seems there is something wonderful to behold almost everywhere we look. Below is a digital painting based on a photograph I made a few years ago in Loose Park while learning from one of the best photographers on the planet, Kevin Sink.

For a few days last year, we had male Rose Breasted Grosbeaks around our feeders. This year we also had a female. I suspect the female was probably here last year as well and I just didn’t see her. So here is a photo of the male from last year, followed by a photo of the female from just a few days ago.

This is also the time of year for new life. I’m not sure what these babies were looking at, but Mom was interested in something else entirely.

I don’t know what the trees below are called, but for a scant few days most years, magnificent blooms burst forth. This year a hard freeze came at exactly the wrong time and we missed out. But I look forward to next year and offer an image of beautiful blooms from last year with an Eastern Bluebird.

In closing, a photograph from Kaw Point taken in the Spring of 2020 when we were deep in the grasp of the Covid Pandemic. This spot is the confluence of the Kansas and Missouri Rivers and the location where Lewis and Clark camped from June 26 through June 29th in 1804.

Thanks for your interest in my efforts. I love making art and I really love sharing it. As you probably know, we sell this art at: Art That Makes a Difference with 100% of the purchase price donated to Children’s Mercy Hospital. If you need some art for your home or office, I’d appreciate it if you could take a look. Warm wishes to all.