I went on a camping trip and stared into the fire

I was in a trance when I made this painting. I made it in the midst of working on a bigger piece. There was a small canvas in the corner of my studio with an incomplete sketch of a very technical painting that had been sitting there for months.

About halfway through the bigger painting, I was left with a palette of blues and purples. I coagulated them without mixing the colors completely, then took a wide brush and went over the half-done painting in circular strokes. The original painting was yellow, so the blues interacted with it and gave everything a greenish tonality.

Because the blues and purples weren't fully mixed, each time I angled my brush differently, it produced a different shade. I used the darker sections to create the trees and the lighter sections toward the center.

While making it, I found myself reminiscing about a camping trip I took a few summers ago with my best friends. I remember sitting amongst the trees, staring at the campfire after everyone had gone to bed. Painting has a way of acting as a portal for me; it brings up memories I didn't know I had.

I often think about how the linearity of time dissolves when you're deeply involved in a creative task. Time passes quickly, but memories simmer and boil over. Working with your hands lets the mind wander and process.

The original is 16x20" in size and was made using chalk pastels, acrylic, and gouache on canvas.