Brookside, 2014 – Michaela Harlow – 16″ x 10″, pastel on paper (18″ x 12″)

I started running again, about a month ago, after taking a long time off. It’s always hard for me to get started again after allowing myself to get out of shape. But once past the three week mark, things begin to change and what starts as a discipline becomes a form of relaxation. Running is addictive in a very good way. I find it calming.

I love that running in the early morning or early evening —when my schedule is tight— allows me to experience places and things along my everyday commute that I would otherwise miss: babbling brooks, verdant groves of fern, moss-covered foundations. And then there’s that golden hour light.

 Brookside, in progress