On my first trip to Ohio, I was amazed that the dirt was black – as I’d only known Virginia red clay. And the highways were faced with stone walls – something I’d never seen before. Colonial homes in my area were built of wood or brick – the only stone I’d ever known was cobblestones in the streets.

The Bridge at Dawn captures an old stone bridge spanning a creek that feeds into Lake Erie. I captured it in a dawn springtime, with the trees just leafing out, and the color was magnificent. It was truly one of my more challenging paintings – a combination of hardscape and nature.