"That Which Nutures Us All..."

"To the Four Legged Ones, who know wilderness as home and teach us how to live there; To the Winged Ones who see the larger picture from above... To the Plant People, who live the bloom of life constantly; to miraculous Water, who keeps life flowing... To the Stone People, who ground life with ancient wisdom and mountains of beauty; to the Earth, who holds and nurtures us all...".  Stephen Lyman   

It was on a multi day sea kayaking trip in the San Juan Islands, during a rest day, that we first set our eyes upon a Stephen Lyman work of art.

It was displayed in a small shop, and it needed no light to illuminate it, as it seemed to glow from within... 

This was his 'Mountain Campfire' creation.

That was decades ago and we have still not lost our appreciation for Stephen's wildlands muse, and his artistic and creative genius.

We all lost Stephen though, on April 16th 1996, in a high mountain accident.

He was a truly talented artist, one who inspires me still in my own naive way.

I can only imagine now much he is missed by so many...

The 'Greenwich Workshop' says of him, "Stephen Lyman was an explorer who specialized in painting the most elusive moments in nature", and that "Through Lyman's art, you can travel into a wilderness very few have experienced. You can share the sensation of being in the true outdoors - exploring, discovering, studying and enjoying the all-encompassing beauty of nature".

Stephen himself said, "All my paintings have their origins in my experience and perception of beauty in the wilderness".

I hope you too, dear friends, have been gifted with the wild place opportunity to experience what Stephen has portrayed through his artistic adventures.

Today, April 16, is a day to remember Stephen and respect all of what he has passed forward to us.......