Juanita Bellavance, Mysterious formations, From the Chestatee River portfolio, 2021, Acrylic on canvas, 24 x 24 inches

January 14, 2021, at 3:00 PM, as I walked along the side of the Chestatee River for the first time, I came across a huge boulder that was many medium-sized rocks embedded together forming one single rock.   

I stood in wonder as I pondered how long and hard those rocks had to have been pushed together in that exact spot until they became one.  I felt connected to the longevity of the natural course of events and the miraculous aspect of them. 

Connecting with nature can remind us of the timelessness of the formation of life and all its wonders and intricacies. We are only a speck along with the pebbles and stones that are thrown together until they somehow become frozen in time, connected eternally. It can have a grounding effect.

I have found creating paintings from nature to be highly evocative for me.