As a young girl, my father frequently took my siblings and I on hunting excursions. While I never had a strong desire to hunt, I found joy in wandering through the forest, searching for the ideal spot, breathing in the crisp air, and observing the world around me with heightened awareness. I cherished the quiet moments of stillness, listening and watching intently. Though I no longer hunt, plein air painting evokes those serene days spent in the northern Minnesota woods alongside my dad. Below are smaller-scale paintings created predominantly en plein air or directly from observation.