A few years ago, my friend Dianne showed me a photo she took of Caddo Lake and it caught my eyes immediately. She persuaded me that this “must visit” natural lake in east Texas was filled with mystery—a unique landscape that was like no other place on earth. I missed many chances to go, and the image stayed impressed in my heart for a long time. I even painted the scene according to the image in the photo, and from the imagination from my heart, in a triptych format, Chinese brush style.
Recently, I finally had the opportunity to visit Caddo Lake. The lake is one of the largest flooded cypress forests in the United States, located in eastern Texas along the borderline of Louisiana. It was breathtakingly beautiful.
The purpose my trip was an artist’s retreat. I had a wonderful time with my friends, artist Marianne Lettieri (mix media construction), Dianne de Laet (writer, poet and performer) and Kari Sroka (designer)—we all had a blast!
We were all enriched by each other, by the beauty of God’s creation, and by the exchange of ideas—and we cross trained in our art making. Our daily activities included boat riding on the lake, getting a close look of the bayou; practicing yoga on the dock; shopping for antiques; and making art through out the day. Best of all, our fearless leader come up with an awesome idea of photo shoot session for our album cover – Angry Chick Band.
It was lovely, enchanting and inspiring retreat!