Everywhere I go I'm drawing. I'm sketching. I'm doodling away. Much of what I put down on paper comes from my thoughts, from the media I consume and I'm constantly drawing inspiration from the places I am.

Growing up in West Michigan, one of the great inspirations is Lake Michigan. Not only the body of water, but the entire ecosystem surrounding it. Cities have sprouted up along her shores, the dunes run the coastline and the fresh water is a meeting point for people all across the Midwest.

I went for a walk out on the dunes near Grand Haven early in March. Sun threw rays of warmth, scattered amongst the chill winds blowing over Lake Michigan.

Taking a tactical jacket on the visit was key to being prepared as an artist on adventure. Relwen provided the perfect jacket. There was room for my sketchbook, watercolors, brushes and some extras- I always take along too many extras.

The beaches were an occasional luxury growing up. It was the summer's gift to us to bathe ourselves in the sun and the sand and the water.

Ruth and I set 7 months for ourselves in the Grand Haven area. It's two and half hours from Chicago on the Michigan side. A 5 minute drive gets us to the Pier and the beach and the Grand River, which feeds the lake, sits right in our backyard.

Beyond the visual stimulation and the inspiration the area has given us joy in being so close to water. Our time in Europe saw us with in walking distance of the sea and the ocean for 6 months straight, and getting back to that proximity to water is intoxicating.