“Sylvan Glen” Installed in a Seattle Luxury Condo
When I create large-scale work—especially a triptych—there is always a moment of awe when I see it in its final home. Recently, Sylvan Glen, a multi-panel autumn landscape, made its way from my Minnesota studio to a beautiful fifth-floor condo overlooking the hills and evergreens of Seattle.
As soon as I opened the message from the collectors with their installation photos, I knew this piece had found exactly the right place to live. Mounted above a modern walnut table and surrounded by clean, minimalist architecture, the triptych fills the room with a soft, golden radiance. It becomes not just a focal point—but the heartbeat of the space.
The collectors wrote:
“These paintings absolutely light up the apartment. They change the way you feel when you look at them. Thank you.”
I could not imagine a more meaningful response.
A Painting Born from a Need for Light
I painted Sylvan Glen during a period of personal transition and emotional darkness, when I found myself craving sunlight—specifically the warm, honeyed light that filters through the early-autumn canopy of sugar maples. Every session in the studio became a restorative practice.
As I layered in golds, ambers, russets, and greens, I felt myself lifted—pulled back into the world with each stroke. It wasn’t just painting a landscape; it was finding a path out of a difficult time.
To know that this same piece is now doing for others what it did for me—bringing emotional warmth and a sense of peace—is profoundly gratifying.
A Perfect Fit for Seattle’s Contemporary Interiors
Seattle is a city of creativity, architecture, and innovation—but it is also a place of long rainy seasons and muted natural light. In a setting like this, color doesn’t simply decorate a home; it supports well-being.
The warm chromatic palette of Sylvan Glen brings three key biophilic design elements into the space:
1. Light and Warmth
The golden hues act as a stand-in for sunshine during Seattle’s gray months, creating a daily emotional lift.
The triptych above the walnut dining table, framed by subtle natural light. The warm fall palette brings a vibrant contrast to the white walls and modern furniture, immediately making the space feel more inviting.
2. Organic Rhythm Against Modern Lines
The vertical trees echo the apartment’s clean, contemporary geometry while softening it—bridging architecture and nature.
3. A Sense of Immersion
At this scale, the viewer feels pulled directly into the forest path. It becomes an experience, not just an artwork.
One of the collectors stands beside the artwork, balcony doors open to reveal treetops and mountains in the distance. A hummingbird feeder hangs just beyond the glass—a beautiful visual echo of the nature portrayed in the painting.
The clients even noted—with a touch of humor and delight—“McKenzie pointed out that there is a hummer at the feeder behind Rick.”
It’s a lovely detail: the real bird outside and the painted forest inside, coexisting in a single moment.
Seeing a piece in its new home is always rewarding, but these images captured something deeper: harmony between art, architecture, light, and the daily life of the people who live with it.
For Designers, Real Estate Professionals, and ART Collectors
Large-scale original artwork has become a powerful asset in contemporary home design, luxury real estate staging, and wellness-focused interiors. Pieces like Sylvan Glen serve not only as visual centerpieces but as emotional anchors—bringing nature, color, and warmth into spaces that need it most.
If you are an interior designer, gallery owner, architect, or art buyer interested in integrating nature-inspired artwork into residential or commercial environments, I’d welcome the opportunity to connect.
You can view more available originals and commissions on my website, or reach out directly to discuss tailored work for specific spaces or color palettes.