"Shellar Lake" by artist Brenda Hofreiter

This is Lake Sheelar at Goldhead Branch State Park. I had asked one of the rangers during my residency what his favorite spot was and this is the one he told me about. It is considered an oligotrophic (meaning high oxygen and low nutrient) lake and as a result has very clear water. I thought it looked like a spring fed lake with that lovely aqua water. I don't know what the vegetation along the banks, but I thought they were strikingly pretty. The morning fog is still in the distance, the light is raking through the trees and the lake is mirroring the sky. I enjoyed my painting time here and could understand why the ranger had said it was his favorite place. I certainly didn't run into anyone during its creation except for the birds whose singing kept me company. I wondered if any of the visitors to the park ever saw this peaceful place.