Dear Friends,
One morning in the predawn light, I ventured out on the Indian River, traveling north toward the St. Lucie Inlet. As the first rays of sunlight poured over the horizon creating a golden glow on the treetops to the east, the river came alive with birds and fish! My paddle board glided silently across shallow water where the only sounds I could hear are the calling of birds, the chirping of bugs, and the ocean surf far in the distance. Peering through the clear water I view numerous juvenile sea turtles, jellyfish, and stingrays that glide alongside me.
A little further on, I observe schools of baitfish being chased by jacks and snook as they swim and jump in a struggle for life and death. I paddle upstream, closer to the inlet, and I come upon a large flock of brown pelicans feeding on schools of numerous small fish. I see a cut back into the mangrove forest. I work my way up this small creek into an area called Hole in The Wall, a shallow protected estuary. Because it is low tide, I see the exposed sand-covered flats, crawling with busy little crabs. The entire pool is encircled by mangroves. I am now at the very northern tip of Jupiter Island. Alone, surrounded by fish and birds, breathing fresh salt air, seeing clean water and a healthy ecosystem - I can't help but feel inspired.
I tend to find beauty and inspiration in the natural world that surrounds us. Today is no different. When time and the weather permits, I go greet the sunrise in nature as often as I can, and hopefully still make it to the studio at a reasonable hour. The solitude of the mangroves is like a sanctuary to me, giving me space to think and process about life and the world around me. I can then bring those ideas back to my studio and create something of beauty and meaning to share with you.
We all need a sanctuary - a place where we can reduce our stress and relax. I like to think that my art studio is such a place. I recently read an article from Harvard stating that not only the creation but the viewing of art has many health benefits including lowering stress. We invite you all to pay us a visit. Thank you for your continued patronage. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Best Wishes,
- Geoffrey
Scroll down through this artist blog to watch the Video Experience "Hole in The Wall"
Sculpture Spotlight
"Sweetwater Heron on Lotus"
Original Sculpture of a Green Heron on a Lotus Pad with Four Moveable Frogs
"Hole in the Wall"
Original Oil Painting By Geoffrey Smith
Belgian Linen 24 x 36in.
Enjoy Watching this video experience "Hole in the Wall" Jupiter Island, FL
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“Life has more imagination than we carry in our dreams.”
– Christopher Columbus
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