Miles on the Trail
The last few months have kept a good rhythm. Tracy was between jobs for a stretch, which turned into an unexpected gift — weekday hikes with empty trails and no weekend crowds. We knocked out more miles than usual and I won’t pretend I minded one bit. She’s landed a great new position, so we’re back to weekend hiking now, which just means sharing the trails with a few more people. Still worth every step, especially with all the spring flowers blooming.
Somewhere in there we also caught Eric Church live in Knoxville and made it down to Key West and Homestead for a few days. Full life, good energy.
The View From Here
The studio view this spring has been something else. The mountains are sharp and green and our flowers are just starting to come in — I keep finding reasons to stop and look out the window. Won’t be long before it’s all in full bloom. There are worse problems to have.
Palimpsest
I just completed a large commission — an encaustic piece centered on the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. I titled it Palimpsest, which felt exactly right. A palimpsest is a surface that’s been written on, scraped back, and written on again — layers of meaning that never fully disappear. That’s the encaustic process, and it’s also what this painting holds. Buried in the wax are personal references and hidden details that connect the piece to specific memories and people. Most viewers won’t catch them all, and that’s the point. That’s always been part of what I do. Here’s a teaser image. I’ll share the full completed image once my client has it in thier possession.
New Work for Copper Fox Gallery
Alongside the commission, I’ve been building new inventory for Copper Fox Gallery. It’s been a good creative exercise — smaller, more intimate pieces that let me stay loose and exploratory between the bigger projects. Many more on the way. I’m looking forward to an artists feature in August.
Mystery Art League — Entry Earned
The Entry Earned project is complete. Sixteen encaustic panels, 150+ hours, a full narrative arc built into the work. I’m incredibly proud of how it came together. It will be showing at The District Gallery in Knoxville in early June, and from there, in September, it heads to ArtPrize 2026. I can’t wait to get it in front of people. More details coming soon. Make sure and follow the MAL socials more updates.
Until Next Time
Plenty happening and more on the way. Stay close.
Best, Randy