The Palm Warbler has always struck me as a gentle, observant presence, and I wanted this painting to capture the feeling of discovering one perched among young saplings on a warm summer day. Its subtle yellow tones, the delicate movement of new growth, and the soft interplay of light all came together to form a scene that felt both peaceful and alive.

Much of my work begins with careful study in the field, and this painting grew from time spent watching how these birds interact with their surroundings. The warbler’s posture, the texture of the saplings, and the quiet energy of the moment guided the composition. My goal was to create a piece that invites viewers to pause and appreciate the understated beauty that often goes unnoticed.

As Sapling Song – Palm Warbler joins the SUMMER NATIONALS exhibition in Cape Cod, I hope it offers a moment of stillness and connection—an opportunity to experience the gentle rhythms of summer through the lens of a single, fleeting encounter.

Hollow Sentinel is a work that holds a special place for me. The great horned owl has such a powerful presence – quiet, observant, and deeply connected to the landscape it inhabits. I wanted this painting to reflect that sense of stillness and watchfulness, the feeling of being seen by a creature perfectly at home in its world.

The exhibition runs from July 11 through August 14 at the beautiful Rhode Island Watercolor Society Gallery in Slater Memorial Park, Pawtucket, RI. If you’re nearby during those weeks, I’d love for you to stop in and experience the show. Seeing the work in person is always something different, something special.

Thank you, as always, for your support and interest in my work.

Walking through a prairie after a summer rain, the first thing I notice is how everything touches. The grasses lean into each other, heavy with droplets. Wildflowers bend and return, their stems supported by what grows beside them. Even the air feels connected — filled with the hum of bees, the soft call of birds hidden in the distance, the small creatures that scurry between delicate stems. It’s a living tapestry, each part distinct yet inseparable from the whole.

That sense of interconnection stays with me. In nature, there are no isolated moments. Every cloud changes the light that shapes the landscape, each shift in wind carries seed or scent that influences what will bloom next. The wild works through delicate cooperation, whether we see it or not. When I look closely, it feels almost miraculous how seamlessly it all fits — the rooted and the fleeting, the still and the moving, each quietly answering the other.

Creating art feels much the same. A painting depends on relationships — color to color, shape to shadow, intention to instinct. When I begin, everything seems separate, uncertain. But as the layers build, small choices start speaking to one another, forming balance where there was once only variation. Much like the meadow, the beauty emerges not from control but from relationship — how one tone softens another, how contrast gives light its meaning.

Beyond that, I think of how life itself is its own woven pattern. The people we meet, the places we dwell, even small moments of noticing — all of them intertwine to create a fabric uniquely our own. We don’t always see the full design as it’s forming, but over time, those threads reveal texture, purpose, contrast, and story.

The longer I look at the world this way, the more gratitude I feel for these subtle connections — the way the unseen holds everything together. It reminds me that harmony isn’t built out of sameness but out of relationship. Each part, with its own color and contour, belongs for a reason.

And maybe that’s what the wild has been quietly teaching all along: that strength and beauty don’t always come from standing apart, but from leaning gently into the weave — becoming part of something larger, held by everything around us.

This piece emerged from an interest in those quieter, less overtly dramatic moments in the wild—when presence alone carries a kind of quiet intensity. The young wolf, resting yet alert, seemed to embody a delicate balance between curiosity and instinct, youth and inheritance. I was drawn to that subtle tension, and to the sense of awareness that exists even in stillness.

Working with both opaque and transparent watercolor allows me to develop layers that suggest the softness of fur while preserving the immediacy and fluidity inherent to the medium. It’s a continual negotiation between intention and spontaneity—knowing when to define and when to let the paint resolve itself.

The Artists for Conservation Festival brings together a remarkable community of artists dedicated to the natural world, and it’s an honor to be included in an exhibition that so thoughtfully bridges art and conservation.

If you are in Vancouver this September, I hope you might have the opportunity to experience the exhibition—and perhaps spend a quiet moment with this young wolf.

Update Four brings three portraits of motion held in pause—from an owl gliding silently over prairie grasslands, a cardinal foraging amid pebbles and muted grass, to a great horned owl’s profile glowing against aged branches. Each painting captures nature’s poised energy: the hunter’s muted pursuit, the forager’s curious calm, and the sentinel’s ancient gaze amid wispy textures. These works extend the exhibition’s thread of stillness within action, revealing the subtle symphony of wild lives in their element.

“Silent Pursuit – Great Horned Owl” grew from watching a great horned owl glide in mid-flight over prairie grasslands, hunting in those warm, muted tones that feel almost whispered. I wanted to capture its wings stretched wide and powerful, merging with the soft earth below to hold that tense, quiet moment of the chase. The earthy palette brings out the owl’s focused intensity and natural camouflage. For me, this piece honors how silence turns the owl into both hunter and quiet storyteller over the open land.

“Scarlet Stillness – Northern Cardinal” grew from a male cardinal foraging on the ground in soft light—pebbles, earth, lichen all around, with muted grasses fading behind. I wanted his bright red feathers to stand out against those quiet textures, letting the gentle glow capture his curious yet peaceful moment. The soft tones draw you into the details of stone and grass where life unfolds. For me, this piece is about that perfect mix of bold color and calm discovery right at earth’s edge.

“Wisdom in Stillness – Great Horned Owl Portrait” captures a great horned owl in profile—its feather patterns and golden eyes softly glowing against rugged branches and wispy grasses. I layered the paint carefully to highlight those intricate details while keeping the background muted and calm. The light draws you into the owl’s thoughtful gaze, holding that timeless sense of watchfulness. For me, this piece is about the deep, quiet knowing that lives in nature’s ancient guardians.

Held at the historic Salmagundi Club in Manhattan, this juried exhibition showcases a wide range of contemporary representational art from across the country. Rebecca’s piece captures a fleeting moment of golden light, where vibrant sunflowers and delicate goldfinches meet in a quiet celebration of color, movement, and summer’s warmth. Visitors are invited to experience the painting in person, where its textures and subtle shifts of light can be fully appreciated.

If you’re in New York during the exhibition dates, this is a wonderful opportunity to see Where Sunlight Lingers alongside an inspiring collection of works by fellow artists.

Update Three presents 3 portraits where light reveals hidden depths—from a chickadee poised in silver fog, a sapsucker glowing against birch, and a wolf’s luminous gaze into vast blue. Each painting uncovers subtle wonders: delicate clarity through haze, patient radiance in the trees, profound solitude, and serene endurance. These works expand the exhibition’s invitation to pause amid nature’s layered silences and illuminations, one intimate portrait at a time.

“Stillness of Silver Haze – Black Capped Chickadee” grew from those misty mornings when soft light filters through fog, holding a chickadee in delicate balance atop a grass tassel. I used translucent glazes to build that ethereal grey veil, letting the bird’s sharp form stand clear as a spark of life, its feathers picking up faint gleams like early dawn. The textured grass and blurred backdrop reflect its watchful calm within nature’s gentle hush. For me, this painting captures fog-kissed quiet, where the world pauses to show the fine grace of its tiniest travelers.

“Backlit in Gold – Sapsucker” was inspired by the way golden light can transform a sapsucker into a glowing silhouette against birch bark, making an everyday forest moment feel radiant and alive. I focused on that strong backlight to rim the bird’s form in a halo, letting the soft tones of its feathers and the tree melt into a luminous backdrop of late-afternoon sun through the canopy. The calm perch holds the woodpecker’s steady gaze, with fine details shimmering like trapped sunlight in the woodland quiet. For me, this piece honors those perfect crossings of light and life, where one bird lights up the golden stillness of the trees.

“Luminous Stillness – Wolf” grew from my deep respect for a light-colored wolf’s quiet power—its steady gaze reaching out through soft light that fades into an endless, muted navy. I layered translucent glazes to create that airy, dreamlike feel, letting the wolf’s pale fur glow as a calm anchor against the vast blue, echoing the solitude of northern wilds. The gentle light around its form holds a moment of pure peace, where predator and wilderness seem to share a single breath. For me, this painting is a quiet reflection on nature’s deep silence, inviting you to meet the wolf’s gaze and sense the steady grace of the untamed.

Week Two brings three more portraits that trace light’s quiet dance across feather and season—from the hidden embers of a woodland warbler, to a chickadee’s brave glow amid falling snow, to the iridescent calm of a tropical tanager at rest. Each painting holds a moment where illumination reveals what the eye might otherwise miss: resilience in the cold, elegance amid the mist, and life’s persistent shimmer through every layer of habitat. These works continue the exhibition’s invitation to pause and listen to nature’s subtle symphony.

“Forest Rimlight – Yellow Rumped Warbler” was inspired by the quiet glow that lives inside woodland shadows—those moments when strong backlight turns the bird’s soft yellow markings into tiny embers against the forest. I wanted the edge of light to feel almost sculpted, catching the warbler’s poised form while the muted greens and browns sink gently into the background. The contrast is meant to honor its lively presence without disrupting its natural camouflage, inviting viewers to feel the warmth and flicker of life in the understory. For me, this piece is about those brief illuminations when a single ray of sun reveals how intricate and luminous a small, waiting bird can be.

“Snowlight Visitor – Black-capped Chickadee” grew from those quiet winter afternoons when new snow softens every sound and a single chickadee suddenly animates the landscape. I pictured it resting on an old branch as light flakes drifted down, with a soft blue backdrop to hold everything in a calm, wintry hush while the glow gently lifts its tiny form. The falling snow and diffused light echo its brave, inquisitive nature in the cold, where stillness and subtle motion seem to blend together. For me, this painting is a small tribute to winter’s gentle guests—the bright, persistent lives that remind us that warmth endures, even in the softest storm.

“Gentle Perch – Turquoise Tanager” was inspired by the mesmerizing iridescence of this tropical bird’s blue and yellow feathers, framed against a soft, muted background that lets those colors shine without any interference. I placed the tanager in a thoughtful, poised position, using light brushwork to hint at the misty rainforest around it while keeping the bird’s calm elegance front and center. The quiet palette only heightens the jewel-like glow of its plumage, capturing a peaceful moment amid the canopy’s wild energy. For me, this piece celebrates the subtle brilliance of tropical life, where one gentle perch opens a window to nature’s vivid yet understated wonders.

“Timeless Refuge – American Kestrels,” created in opaque and transparent watercolor on museum board at 11 × 14 inches, reflects my ongoing focus on intimate wildlife subjects and the quiet spaces they inhabit. I’m honored to have this work recognized among such a strong collection of paintings. The Spokane Watercolor Society continues to foster a community dedicated to excellence in watercolor, and I’m grateful to be included in this year’s exhibition.

My thanks to the Spokane Watercolor Society, the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture, and Michael Holter for their work in presenting and jurying the show. I appreciate the continued support from those who follow my work and look forward to sharing future projects as they develop.

As the exhibition opens, I’m beginning with three paintings that trace the quiet, everyday poetry of the natural world—moments often passed by, yet rich with light, stillness, and grace. Each piece in this first week’s collection invites a slower look: the hush between a woodpecker’s tapping, the gentle pause of a foraging rabbit, the clear note of a chickadee against winter sky. Together, they introduce the rhythm of the show, as it unfolds in the weeks ahead, one intimate moment at a time.

“Muted Drummer – Downy Woodpecker” grew from my fascination with those quiet, easily missed moments in the woods. Instead of the bold, dramatic light often associated with woodpeckers, I wanted to explore a softer mood—one that feels more like a hush between heartbeats. The bird’s gentle posture and muted tones mirror the stillness that follows its tapping, when the forest itself seems to listen. By focusing on subtle textures and quiet light, I hoped to bring viewers a little closer to that fragile balance of life that quietly keeps the woodland alive.

“Gentle Forager – Cottontail” grew from a quiet moment of calm among fallen apples and soft grasses—a glimpse of peace in ordinary wildness. I wanted the light to feel tender, almost like it was brushing the rabbit’s fur without breaking the stillness. The soft glow and muted tones echo how these small visitors move through the world—watchful but unhurried. For me, it’s about pausing long enough to notice the simple grace in what’s easily overlooked, where even a cottontail carries a whisper of wonder.

“Blue Radiance – Black Capped Chickadee” was inspired by those rare winter moments when light turns the ordinary brilliant. A single ray transforms a rough branch into a stage, where the chickadee glows bold against the blue. I layered the paint softly to catch that halo of light—the quiet shimmer that reflects its resilient, joyful spirit in the cold. For me, it’s a reminder of how beauty often hides in plain sight, revealed by nothing more than a fleeting touch of sun.