Story Behind the Art; Our Lake
Welcome! I wanted to tell you a little more about the stories behind some of my paintings and drawings. While writing is my passion, art has become a very enjoyable hobby. In fact, as of this post date, the art is funding the writing rather than the other way around. (Though I’m hoping and praying that will change very soon!) Today, I want to tell you about one of my absolute favorite paintings from the summer, from Our Lake, Montana.
Spending time in nature is super important to me. I try very hard to take my kids hiking, kayaking, sledding etc multiple times per month. This summer (2023) I was fortunate that my husband was even more motivated to check some hikes off of our bucket list. Our Lake is an alpine lake near us with a four-mile trail to reach it. It’s a very popular hike in Montana, so we’re not the only ones to have it on our list!
We hiked the trail on Memorial Day weekend for the first time. It was a blast, but there was still quite a bit of snowpack higher up. We braved the drifts and snowpack (most of us in chacos) but only made it to the creek that empties out of Our Lake. We brewed a cup of coffee to pass around with our jet boil, splashed, identified some plants and then made the descent in time to shoot some line at the trailhead. I don’t remember anyone catching anything. Here are a few pictures from that first attempt, including the toilet tucked away just before you reach the creek.
A little over a month later, in early July, we joined the crowds of hikers and tried again. (Not quite crowds, but it is a very popular place. We ran into a lot of people, including some friends!)
We still found snow, but easily made it all the way to the lake. There was even a perfect little heart-shaped patch of snow across the lake with a beautiful reflection dancing off the water. An alpine lake occurs when there’s a low spot (carved by glaciers maybe) at a high altitude. The combination of mountain surroundings and clear blue skies make for a gorgeous scene. At the lake, the kids played on the rocky slopes, I painted (and fished a little) and Nic fished (a lot). This time, he caught quite a few fish including the most beautiful trout I’ve ever seen. It was a cutthroat, but it was bright blue! I still plan on painting it.
Several people stopped to see the painting in progress, which is always fun. I can’t help but explain that it does look better after all the layers go on. It wasn’t the first time someone has stopped to watch while I painted; I really hope some of these people hunt me down so we can connect, they can see the finished piece and we can appreciate that captured moment together.
The Our Lake hikes were some of the highlights of our summer. I’m thankful that my husband made the leap of faith into starting his business so that he has the freedom to do these things with us. On both hikes, but especially when we had to tromp through snow in our sandals, I remember thinking about what these adventures do for my children. I don’t know that they’ll realize it, but someday they’ll run into something very challenging and they’ll have the courage and work ethic to push through. There will be tasks or adventures that some of their peers might shy away from that won’t seem so insurmountable to mine. Now, I know they have their fair share of shortcomings and they’re sure to meet failure, but they also know they can climb mountains! (Be sure to check out more snapshots of our second trip at the bottom of the page.)
Property of Elicia Johnson - OUR LAKE, MT watercolor & Ink
At the very least, we set our burdens down for a day (ironically, to pick up a day pack), breathed fresh mountain air (which contains actual chemical constituents to support our physical and emotional health…thank you trees, the original essential oil diffuser) and heard a symphony of bird song and rustling leaves. You guys know my spiel: Disconnection from nature is a major problem for humanity today. (If you don’t know my spiel, you’re probably new. Browse a few blog posts and you’ll be up to speed.) We’re too busy or driven or tired or…
But getting out and doing something (preferably active but not always required) helps us connect to the Creator, to each other and even to ourselves better. Sorry to sound a little woo-woo, but we live in a world full of spiritual, emotional, mental and physical illness. As someone who has struggled with chronic illness, I feel the marked difference when I prioritize outdoor adventures. For me, farming and gardening add to my outdoor time and add connectivity to my food. Maybe you could start that way, too.
Have you been to an alpine lake or hiked any cool places lately? Be sure to comment below. You can purchase stickers, notebooks, mugs, prints and other cool doodads with this Our Lake painting here in my Redbubble store. May it inspire you to find views and memories to call your own.
