March 2024 / No.8

Notes on my art and creative process

Maybe I should have taken the –46ºF windchill on Saturday, January 13th as a sign that this winter would bring uninvited surprises — like the subsequent two-inches-per-hour snow storm, and the power outages soon after that… Thankfully, surprises come in other forms, and the section of road BEFORE THE TURN has many welcome ones, no matter the season.

On maps, it’s called Blanchard Lake Road, but in my mind it’s “Cattail Corner” due to the dense field of cattails that pop up there every summer. Approaching through thick forest corridors from either side, the right-angle turn forces you to slow down…

Then — presto! — a whole world is revealed: sweeping cross-field views, meandering fences, a horse or two, distant mountains, AND a cool barn. [I sound like the board of tourism.]

Seasonal weather is what determines that day’s surprise: sunny & vast / foggy & haunting / still & pensive / windy & magical. Regarding that last one: a massive flurry of yellow-orange leaves rained down on me as I rode my bike here one autumn afternoon. I stopped for several minutes soaking it all in.

Whitefish is often overcast during the winter as clouds linger above the surrounding valley throughout the day. Like a pot of cooking rice — where the lid and pot edge meet — all the drama often erupts at that seam. Before sunset, the area just below the edge of this cloud-lid will often supply the most exciting sky moment of the day as a strip of radiant light shines through the gap.

This winter has been filled with a lot of glum news, both for me and many people I know. I believe powerful insight can be gained during tough times, yet keep my eye out for that ribbon of brightness on the horizon — it’s a welcome moment of respite.

“When is everything going to get back to normal?”
—ROGER STERLING from Mad Men

“Normality is a paved road: It’s comfortable to walk, but no flowers grow on it.”
—VINCENT VAN GOGH

Instagram: @DrawKevinDraw
Website: KevinTseng.com
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