A Walk in the Forest
So many of my paintings are tied to my love of my home region, here in northern British Columbia.
It's not always a popular perspective. Many who live here grumble about the long, cold winters, the distance from major cities, the not-always-progressive rural attitudes, and oh, so many other things. I like to think these are the same people who would complain about the tourists and the heat if they lived in Fiji. 
I love our region's wild beauty, our abundant wildlife, the stands of birch and aspen, the red-violet willows in the muskeg swamp. Even the rough back roads that make some of our outings teeth-grindingly tedious mean that we get to enjoy our back country without interruption, and might even scare up a grizzly. I love anticipating the colours of every season and the dramatic changes between them.
And as much as I cringe on a breezy fall day as the cold wind blows down my neck, it's always worth it to spend time with friends exploring the hills of the Peace River valleys, climbing rocks and scrambling down shale-strewn ravines. One of those outings inspired this painting.
"A Walk in the Forest" watercolour on paper, 9" x 12" by Angela Fehr
It's so exciting to see a painting come to life! The flow of colours is always unexpected and while sometimes an experimental wash falls flat, it's worth the risk to see this kind of beautiful, glowing texture and hue. I get a thrill when all the elements come together to create something that is new and unique and echoes the beauty I enjoy here in the Peace River country of northern British Columbia.
These promising first layers are always just a beginning, and not every beginning has a happy ending. The key is always to keep the fresh vibrance while adding complementary detail and I sometimes lose my way in working out those details. This particular tale does end well, and I'm so happy to share this memory in rich, vivid colour; a gorgeous autumn day.