I feel that art can provoke thought, encourage change, or just heighten awareness. This painting is to underline the value of forests. Collectively, they are a treasure. Not just natural beauty to behold, they work to reduce air temperature, prevent soil loss, hold water within the landscape, and clean our air—all requirements for continuing life. Then there's the uplifting of our spirit and fitness through forest activities, like walking, hiking, contemplating nature, and providing respite or solace for mental health. Forests sustain our lives in so many, too often unacknowledged, ways. Yes, I live in a wooden house, but I am conscious of the need for balance and grateful to live in a community that values its forests and does not take them for granted. I called this painting “Elevation”, for its height of land and, hopefully, elevated mindfulness.