California Fires

 Big Basin 60"x30"

As I made this painting over the last two weeks, I listened to the news of California's fires on the radio, especially the fire in Big Basin. Big Basin has always been close to my heart; there was one of the best walk-in campsites there, a quarter mile from parking with amazing old growth redwoods all around. 

 

I remember camping there with friends when our kids were little. One of the girls was in that gangley growth-spurt stage and was constantly tripping over her legs as the kids scrambled across fallen logs; she'd hit the ground but bounce up and keep running. One night as I was trying to bed our youngest down in her sleeping bag, all of the other children started dancing around the outside of the tent, their flashlights casting magical shadows on the tent walls as they chanted, "Lions and tigers and bears--oh my!" 

 

Our last trip there was cut short by a surprise storm. We were determined to stick it out but ended up loading the car with saturated gear and heading home, but not before we had a beautiful walk through the rainforest.

I was sad to hear that the lodge there was burned in the recent fire, but what I really cared about were the old growth redwoods. It sounds like they have survived. The forest might actually thrive, what with the purifying fire cleaning up the overgrowth.

I thought about all of these things as I painted this portrait of one of my favorite forests. This painting was a prayer as the fire burned and is also a prayer for future adventures under the redwoods.