Pilgrims at the Creek

“I first observed the turtles for the painting on the Roanoke Greenway, but the setting for them is from my time spent at Tinker Creek next to the entrance of Hollins College. I see now why Annie Dillard spent time there. It instantly became apparent to me that this part of Tinker Creek has a very healthy ecosystem, and I wanted to portray the turtles as a part of that.”

Immersing herself in “the whole package of Tinker Creek life,” Fleck braves the likes of mosquitoes and poison ivy to faithfully observe and render her subjects. “I was inspired by Annie Dillard’s super observant writing about a frog’s interaction with a giant water bug,” the artist writes, mirroring a necessary and straightforward closeness present throughout Pilgrim with her own creative process.