In the year 2000 I had the great fortune of seeing Notre Dame in person.

When I studied abroad in Scotland I took a short trip to Paris, and wandered the streets without much of a plan. I turned a corner and there was Notre Dame, just sitting there as though it wasn’t one of the most beautiful things in the world. Of course I knew better

Later that night I met a friend and we sat inside the cathedral while the organist played Christmas music. I could feel history as I’d never felt it before. I believe in the importance of art, and of place, and this is possibly the best merger of the two.

Sketches of lichen found around the neighborhood. Such beautiful structure.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. We visited many years ago, while still living in Colorado. It was actually a funny accident: we were staying in Gunnison for a day and wanted a nice place for a picnic. I had seen signs for Black Canyon on the road into town, and we gave it a try. It turned out to be far more than simply a nice picnic spot. With incredible views of a steep and narrow canyon, Black Canyon is one of the most surprisingly awe inspiring places I’ve been.

On February 26, 1919, the Grand Canyon became a National Park. The geologic formations, which are actually quite a bit older, were preserved for generations to come. In honor of this historic anniversary, I made a drawing of the North Rim.

Our National Parks are more than vacation destinations. They are our heritage and our legacy. They are arguably the most American thing of all. Without that protected land, innumerable species of plants and animals would have gone extinct long ago. Rivers that irrigate our land and water our cities might be polluted and unusable. In short, there is no human project more important than knowing what not to develop.

When these lands are destroyed, they never come back. Here’s to the Grand Canyon, may it last far into the future.

A little Scuffy the tugboat fan art. Practicing my digital coloring.