Broken Sentinel

Last summer, or more correctly late last spring, I took a short hike out of the Wrights Lake area, off highway 50 to granite lined Twin Lakes. It was a great hike, the weather was perfect and because it was early in the season, there were not too many people on this popular trail. As a result, I was able to let the dogs run free.

On the return as I was coming down the trail I saw the most incredible broken stump. The stump was just off the trail with a backdrop of sky, granite and more trees. I had to stop and take a closer look. I  decided to take a picture so that I could use it as inspiration for future drawings. I reached for my camera, and it wasn’t there. I couldn’t believe it, I always travel with my camera. Evidently I had taken it out of my pack to upload some files and had forgotten to put it back.

I was beyond disappointed. After I returned to the cabin, I tried to remember how it looked. I was obsessed with that old stump,and I tried to draw from memory, but I just couldn’t get it right. Finally I was able to return to the cabin and spend a few more days hiking around the area. This time I remembered my camera, I shot the stump from a variety of angles. Clearly the best view is from above, on the way down. It’s so funny how many times I have hiked this trail and never saw it until that day. Since finding this old stump, I have seen many similar ones throughout the forest. I find them beautiful, and full of life. The contrast between the living and the dead is very compelling, and knowing that even this old stump is teaming with life as it melts back into the earth, brings even more to my imagination. Once back in the studio, I quickly used this image in several drawings. The one in this post is my favorite.