An invocation is an address to a deity or muse that often takes the form of a request for help; frequently said at the beginning of a church service or public gathering. As I began this new body of work, I was unsure of its destination. I instead approached these paintings as a journey– allowing them to truly take me where they would have me go. Mountainscapes being an undeniable muse, I followed their path. Each painting’s composition unknown to me until it was revealed. I felt a sense of guidance on this pilgrimage– I hadn’t asked for help, yet there it was, as if a sherpa was steering me through a haze of creative self doubt. The idea of an invocation kept coming to mind. As a child and into adulthood, I spent much of my life immersed in the Protestant faith– an invocation always a part of every service. The natural world replaced the modern church for me years ago and continues to be my source, not only of inspiration but of solace, of rest, of renewal. I see these paintings as prayers, as invitations to a sojourn. Their white lines portal-like, beckoning to a far off destination, panes of transparent color frame and filter as stained glass in a cathedral.