It’s that time of year when we’re hopefully able to slow down a bit and gather with family and friends. As I sat down to write this post, I looked back through my photos from the past month to see what moments stood out — the kinds of things that naturally find their way into these updates.
Every time I scroll through my photos, I’m reminded of how fortunate my life really is.
I’ve spent a lot of time with Tracy, logging more miles together in the Smoky Mountains. I’ve captured some of my favorite videos and photos of Jagger playing in our backyard. Every now and then, I get the chance to reconnect with old friends and catch up on where life has taken us. And, of course, I’ve been able to spend time in the studio doing the thing I love most.
Speaking of the studio, I’m still working to complete more paintings for my Knoxville Architecture series. I truly love working on these pieces, but they are definitely time-consuming. One thing that stood out to me while reviewing reference photos for this project is how many of the buildings I’ve painted are already gone. I’ve lived in the area for less than three years, and the cityscape is already changing.
Like Nashville, Knoxville is seeing more and more buildings demolished to make room for new ones. I understand the reasons behind it, but it’s still hard to watch. Every once in a while, though, an older building gets a second life — repurposed while keeping its main structure intact. As I work on these paintings, I find myself thinking about that balance between progress and preservation, and I’m grateful to be doing my small part to document my version of the city.
Our hikes in the Smokies have been another blessing. I look forward to the day when I shift from painting architecture to working on a series that captures the essence of our outdoor adventures. Even with winter playing a big role in our hiking plans, I still enjoy it. The days are shorter, so our hikes tend to be a little shorter too, but there’s something special about winter trails. With less vegetation, you notice the land differently.
As I write this, I’m thinking back to our last hike — fallen trees scattered across the trail and multiple creek crossings along the way. There’s nothing quite like hiking in cold weather and then having to wade through a creek to get to the other side. Luckily, we’ve had no major issues so far — just a few inconveniences along the way.
I’ll keep this one short.
Thank you for taking the time to read my words. I hope you and yours have a happy holiday season. I’ll be back soon with more updates. I’m also still thinking about starting a newsletter — if that’s something you’d be interested in, you can sign up at the bottom of my home page, here: (link)
Take care,
Randy
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