After eighteen years of comfort with my style of painting, I became curious about where some changes would lead. The time during the pandemic encouraged me to explore new directions and ideas. My color theory became a starting point, with more emphasis on clear light and dark values as well as harmony. Discovering the potential of a limited color palette was a delightful surprise! Making expressive marks and shapes led me to a couple of years of purely abstract work, which I enjoyed for the personal freedom it allowed. However, the subject matter in my past work—sense of place and the interpretation of human figures—was calling me back. The obvious next challenge was to incorporate more of this new and complex language that I was learning into my favorite local imagery. For example, I am loving how the shapes of trees serve as abstract paintings in themselves, and simplifying everything is a win for both the viewer and me.