Howdy friends and neighbors,

Though it sure feels like winter here on the Washington coast, it is spring by the calendar and my daffodils think it is too. I hope they don’t freeze.

The warm desert islands and rich seas of Baja California seem far away, though I spent January and March there as a naturalist with Lindblad Expeditions.

I wasn’t planning another show this year, but somewhere back in mid-winter a vision of a group of paintings called “The Eyes of God” came along and being a woman who really really tries to follow those rare gifts of vision, I have embarked on creating a group of paintings of animal eyes.

The first painting and the inspiration for the group is ‘WATCHING’, an interpretation of a baby gray whale’s open and curious expression. I have made that magic and extraordinary connection in the calving lagoons of Baja California, and will never forget that awesome experience.

Bette Lu