Ponds hold a special kind of magic, don't they? For me, that sense of wonder and connection – recalling the thrill of holding a frog as a little girl or scooping up tadpoles – draws me back to them. Even with the vistas of the ocean and North Shore mountains nearby, I've found myself drawn to the beauty of the Jericho Beach Park ponds. Each visit brings joyful moments: the glide of a heron, the song of white-crowned sparrows, or the cheerful quacking of ducks, (Sometimes it sounds like the ducks are laughing at us!)

"Jericho Fall Splendor" is a studio piece that brings those experiences to life, inviting you to step into the vibrant, yet quiet, beauty of a crisp fall day at the pond. The scene unfolds with a few grasses in the foreground, leading to the still pond which mirrors the sky and surrounding trees. There's no wind, allowing the reflections of grasses and trees to be perfectly clear. To the right, a small group of trees and shrubs anchors the corner, a direct translation of a plein air study. On the left in the mid-foreground are colourful fall grasses. The background is a mix of deciduous trees in vibrant fall oranges, reds, and yellows, interspersed with deep green evergreens.