My Cabin: Place of Inspiration

For me, one place that holds some of the greatest memories and moments of inspiration is my husband’s family cabin on the Chippewa Flowage near Hayward, Wis. This rustic abode is especially meaningful because it’s where my husband, Steve, proposed and also where we spent our honeymoon.
    I am always grateful for the time we have there, because it is usually a much-needed reprieve from busy, everyday life. With no cell phone reception, cable or Internet, we are literally forced to “unplug” and give in to the simple things: riding in the canoe, fishing off the pier, playing cribbage at the kitchen table, charcoal grilling, and watching the sun set over the lake.
    I am an artist specializing in fine-art oil paintings and commissioned portraits, so I always take my painting equipment to the cabin when we go. Even though people are my primary subjects in art, I find that time alone amongst God’s creation brings me a kind of spiritual calm that leads to my best work, no matter what I’m painting.
    For an artist who is usually forced to work within the confines of her studio, it is always exciting to get outside and paint en plein air or have a willing sitter pose under the natural light streaming in through the cabin windows. One year, I even painted the cabin itself and gave the painting as a gift to my mother-in-law.  
    I am grateful for every opportunity I have to be with family and friends in this special haven, and I will always cherish it as a place of renewal, peace, love, and inspiration.

To view some of Anna Rose Bain's paintings and photos, click here.