Reis Park - Exploring and Hiking in Putnam County, NY 2012

There is a short hiking trail that goes behind the soccer fields of Reis Park in upper Westchester County.  There are a few activity areas, monkey bars, parallel bars, balance beam, etc.

I'm always fascinated by the trees.  There are so many, all around the county.  I'm originally from KC, MO, and there are trees, woods and trails there, but the height and abundance of the trees here in New York...  inspiring and beautiful.

Little spots of beauty all around.

Luckily my kids allow me to explore on my own time.  I do stop frequently to capture a beautiful sight.

New Work for the New Year - Drawings and Paintings

These new pieces have been so much fun to work on.  There's a story in all of them.  Come by my Etsy.com shop to check them out.

 Exploring Gouache paint with colored pencil and pencil on primed fiberboard.  I like the raw edges of the fiberboard.  The fiberboard is from gift boxes, cereal boxes and any other box that has a nice paintable surface will do.  I like the thickness of the fiberboard and  the imperfections.

New work! Soon to be listed for sale.

 I've found some much needed inspiration to push me forward in my creative ventures.  Mainly, it came in the form of a new medium I hadn't used previously.  Gouache, is a wonderful medium for on-the-go artists.  I could go on and on, but, I don't feel like it.  =)

 I started using Pinterest to capture great inspiration for new patterns and texture ideas.  What a great tool!!!

 Let me know what you think.  Enjoy

Volatile Organic Compound's in 2-D

 Another series that started with some simple designs using Adobe Illustrator.  The designs were printed on matte paper then altered with watercolor, and pencil.  Then comes the naming, or assigning of meaning, hence VOC: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volatile_organic_compound

 I don't know where my imagry comes from... but these pieces affect the environment and human health like VOC's (at least I like to think so.)  I like how Robert Motherwell talks about painting, starting with a pure surface, messing it up, then bringing it back to that pure feeling. 

Check out www.scottgarrette.etsy.com to see more

Enjoy the Dance

Continued from Lost to Convenience

Temperatures this Spring have been mild, with a few Hot and Sunny days. Leaves are out in full force and the mowers are humming in the neighborhoods. I'm drawn to the Southern view looking down the Hudson River towards New York City. The Tappan Zee Bridge connecting the Eastern and Western banks and a 'retirement complex' where I would not mind landing in my older years.

Away from the River and down the stone trail several 'black-leaf' trees stand in contrast to the monotony of the 'green-leaf' neighbors. The gentle hand of the wind is seen in the low lying field as it persuades the long grass to dance. The song will soon be over as the humming motors approach, enjoy the dance.





©scott garrette 2009

Lost to Convenience

I sometimes forget how much time I spend inside thinking about all the things I want to do.

My 6 year old daughter asked to go to the park with the "twisty" trees. Friday afternoon, no other obligations... Let's go. After the half-hour drive South and a bit West, we're there. My favorite outdoor spot to date in Westchester Co., New York. The kids wake up from the road trance and put on their curiosity and excitement. I... get my camera and tune out the days' worries. The vegetation is tall from all the rain this Spring. Soon, it will be slashed and thrown to the ground and the simple beauty will be lost to convenience.


to be continued...

Silence and Fog

A view from inside the clouds
covering the ground
and reaching up into the sky.
Leaves of trees are covered
with dots of water
as they awake from their slumber.
And when the sky is not blue
the green signs of life
rule this landscape,
filling the empty page with color.
Silence comes
when the clouds touch the ground,
as if the land
is under water.




©scott garrette 2009

Muscoot Farm Westchester New York

In full bloom.
A quick trip to a farm nearby. Just a couple of miles from the cozy town of Katonah, NY and maybe even Somers, NY.

A beautiful setting with rolling rocky hills.

Wow, there are cows in New York!
Not uncommon where I've lived the past 8 years.

A very proud pig... very large too.

Five little piglets wandering about. They kept getting stuck on the wood step, high-centered, pretty cute and funny to watch.

Stomping Ground

Mid morning walk about.
Exploring the area.

I've not seen these waters when it's warm.
As I drive the perimeter I wonder...
If all of these houses on the lake have
a dock, and all of the docks have a boat,
how do they all fit?

There are some amazing properties here.
The hills are awesome here, can't wait
for all the leaves to come out.

Traffic hums by aggressively at times on the windy lakeside road.

Tree with a Thousand Stories

There's a park on the Eastern shore of the Hudson River at the end of the road where the river is at it's widest. Just to the South spreading out across the water with all of its legs and pavement stands the Tappan Zee Bridge.













The view to the Western shore welcomes me each visit to the park and prepares me for the wonderful experience ahead.

The Tree with a Thousand Stories is just around the bend right off the stone path.






From here the adventures begin. With the cold of Winter nearing its end this strange and magnificent tree stands tall stretching out each of its limbs and branches twisting, curling and even digging down into the earth and out again several feet away. A single limb coming out from the trunk reaches straight out, bends down and spreads some more. This limb is strong as though it was there a hundred years before.
The markings are a testament of its old age. As far as hands can reach and legs can climb the markings can be seen of past lovers and friends or the lonesome stranger.

On Top of A Hill

Through the lens of my camera I now live on a one lane paved country road with tall evergreens in the front yard. Through my eyes there are Blue Mountains in the distance with leafless tree covered mountains just before. The air is cold and the windy gusts send me deeper within my new winter jacket and the gray scarf made by Victoria.

The clouds cleared only for an hour or two today, only the first or second time since relocating. To say that it is "gloomy" or "dreary" would not be incorrect, yet without the negative feeling attached. Off the back patio I look down and see leaf free grass. There are so many trees lining the perimeter of each property I can only imagine the effort that went into clearing the yards of all the leaves. Feeling the wind makes me think there were natural forces to help with this effort... on the top of the hill.

Just Moved to NY

Originally written 12/13/2008
There is a constant cold breeze blowing on this clear blue-sky morning. Coffee is getting cold quickly in the handmade ceramic mug from my pottery days. The steam rolls off as the sun shines through the bare branched leaves and the crows move west. A perfect reflection on the glass table of a beautiful naked tree and blue sky - like the still water of a frozen lake.
My fingers go numb as i write - trying to find clarity - trying to find comfort... Trying to find meaning.

© scott garrette 2008-2009