Hills for Miles

"Hills for Miles" was painted en plein air in Otter Tail County, MN as part of the 2021 Prairie Lakes Plein Air Festival. This area has beautiful rolling hills and lakes in almost every valley. This painting had an odd thing happen to it: I was car camping at the State Park, but had rented a campsite so I could use the bathrooms. The campsite had a lockbox to keep food away from wild animals. I didn't have a lock with me, but trusted my neighbors enough to dry this painting in it while I was out painting another piece. Well...I got a call from the campground host because he had thought that my campsite was empty. When he checked the box, he saw my painting and lifted it out to look closer. He nicked some of the paint as he did and I didn't realize it until it had dried. So I never showed this piece during the festival. Rather I took it home and it sat in my studio for an embarrassing amount of time until I was finally able to touch it up. Now you wouldn't be able to find the nick mark if you tried (I hope).