I was searching for an idea for my next painting and found myself drawn to a winter scene. Winter has a quietness and solitude that changes the feeling of the woods, and that was the mood I wanted to capture.

American Beech trees are among my favorite winter trees, with their smooth gray trunks, winding roots and copper-colored leaves that often remain long after those of other trees have fallen. While visiting the North Carolina Zoo, I photographed a bobcat and began imagining this beautiful, elusive animal moving silently through a forest of old Beeches. The result was The Quiet Season.

I wanted the bobcat to feel completely at home here—alert and powerful, yet part of the stillness surrounding it. At 30" × 40", this is a substantial original with enough scale to become a focal point in a room while bringing with it the quiet, contemplative feeling of the winter woods.

The Quiet Season is painted on gallery-wrapped canvas, with the image continuing around the edges for a finished appearance. It arrives ready to hang and can be displayed beautifully with or without a frame.