It is the gentle crispness of an early Autumn afternoon, when the light has a certain sparkle to it, as if promising more chill to come and yet gentle on the skin.  A young girl swings, pulling higher and higher on the textured rope of her wooden swing, eyes aglow, auburn hair blowing in the breeze.   Her aqua dress (a happy color) sizzles against the reds, golds, greens and oranges of the fall leaves behind her, all set against the misty violet-gray of more distant branches.  What an exhilarating feeling of freedom this is, the vista of the world lying tantalizingly beyond, barely in sight above the trees and rooftops, high above the cares of daily life — this is truly where a child's dreams can begin!  Do you remember that feeling?   Aloft: Where A Child's Dreams Begin has been designed to combine dynamic energy with balanced forms in order to capture a moment in flight.  Notice how the shadows of leaves seem to flicker on the girl's bodice just for a second.   There is a dimple just emerging on her cheek past her smile.  Her feet are stretched forth, outlined in shadow but washed with sunlight.

This intense but delicate watercolor, achieved with a myriad of subtle washes, is a split-second moment caught in time!  But then again, the creation of decisions and dreams can happen instantaneously in a nano-second, since time is at the mercy of our greatest wishes, as long as we have the courage and persistence to make those dreams come true!  When you see Aloft: Where A Child's Dreams Begin may you experience anew the hopes that set your heart on fire as a child!