Ascending light

What's beautiful? To everyone of us who tries to
capture the answer through art -- light is at
least part of the answer. When I teach in the late
afternoon in winter, I get accustomed to surfacing
out into the great outdoors to face darkness. In
the country (I teach at a college on a nature reserve)
that darkness is the deepest, most gorgeous blue.
But lately when I finally pack up my notes and head
out into the frozen landscape, I feel released -- and I love
teaching. I mean I feel released into the light. It was
actually sunny today during my drive home -- white
light skimmed along the top of brilliant blue snow
banks. Driving along I was in that state of pure
flow -- a oneness with the world that makes everything
all right.

Tia
charcoal on watercolour paper
12 x 9 inches

Because it is I'm going to be brief. Here's a sketch I
did of the girl who used to live across the street, and
was a favorite model -- Tia. She is more beautiful than
line and light can say. She has an air of intelligence and
wit that defies record -- by me anyway. But I thoroughly
enjoy trying.

Have a surrounded-by-supremely-funny-people day.