Images of what to paint seem to come to me in waves…
Bend In The Road came around in early 2022, and then my brain cycled back later in the year,
and Cooling Shade was created
I hadn’t really realized this cycling until yesterday when I was going through some old
watercolors from 1999 – and this big guy showed up!
Apparently, that image had lain dormant for a while, before waking up, shaking off, and rolling in
a couple of times more… I think my skills have improved with time, too…
I wonder when the next iteration will surface? What do you think it will be?
Check out the pieces in my Shop, cherycratty.com, and send me your thoughts on what’s likely to come around next.

Well, it sure looked like it.
The day my Aunt visited the Van Dusen Gardens in Vancouver, these glorious Golden Raintrees
were in full bloom.
Sunlight splashed the walkways and dappled the pale blue and purple flowers, creating perfect
counterpoints of complementary colors.
Working from her photo, I created this Tiny Vista – a miniature scene of a moment in time.
The Gardens are a wonderful place to enjoy Nature; I’d love to go sometime – have you been
there?
In the meantime, I’ve also created many other mini landscapes that you might enjoy; they’re
available at cherycratty.com.

And I’m lucky to be here to tell you about it.
One day, I was driving from TN to NC. The main road is rather winding in a particular section
and there are a number of tunnels through the mountain rock.
This particular day, as I entered a tunnel, the brilliant sunlight outside paired with the distant fog,
taking my breath away.
So I stopped in the middle of the tunnel, stepped out of my car, and took a picture.
What a glorious moment! What a stupid thing to do!!
A few miles down the road, as the euphoria of the moment passed, I realized the incredible
danger I had put myself in.
And the incredible good fortune that I wasn’t squished like a bug in that tunnel.
I’ve been a lot smarter about taking pictures since then, but this is still one of my favorites.
There are many more tiny landscape paintings available at cherycratty.com – come see which
ones speak to you.

This treasure was found deep in the State Park during a really hot summer hike.
The air was humid and still but this sound mischievously led us on.
And then there it was – a hidden oasis with cool water, and a welcome resting place before the trek back.
I still remember this, and painted the Tiny Vista of “Hidden Falls” for someone else who would like to enjoy the feeling, too.
This and other miniature paintings are available at cherycratty.com.
Come on in and enjoy the views.

My photo was of a bright sunny day, but my mood when I sat down to paint- well, it wasn’t bright. Or sunny.
So as I manipulated my way through the painting, it just got darker.
When it was finished, I put it on the drying rack, and moved on to another painting.

As I reflected on it the next week, I realized it was still an inviting wooded path, but more suited to introspection than a merry walk. And so I kept it, just the way it was.
If you’re in an introspective mood this Tiny Vista could provide a wonderful path to lead you on.
This and more Tiny Vistas are available at cherycratty.com.

A friend of mine recently visited the Japanese Gardens in Balboa Park, CA.

She sent me a photo of this serene and uplifting space and I just had to create a Tiny Vista miniature painting of it.

You can almost hear the trickling stream leading back to a mysterious source hidden beyond the trees. 

Peacefulness emanates from the scene and calms the mind. 

Maybe you need this peacefulness in your home or office – if this intrigues you, come visit the full shop; there are many more Tiny Vistas there to engage you.

Greetings and welcome to my new World of Small.
It’s small, as in shrunk down, as the world has shrunk around many of us.
For me, that means no more traveling, instead staying home in Tennessee and caring for my dear brother George, who now has dementia. It means living in a Small World.

But my Small World is filled with Tiny Vistas that elicit memories of woods and water, open roads and great vistas – each in a space smaller than a business card.

My years spent creating tiny bonsai and then larger pulp paintings aided me as I honed old skills and perfected new ones, bringing about the next level in my artistic journey, the Tiny Vistas.

But my Small World is filled with Tiny Vistas that elicit memories of woods and water, open roads and great vistas – each in a space smaller than a business card.

My years spent creating tiny bonsai and then larger pulp paintings aided me as I honed old skills and perfected new ones, bringing about the next level in my artistic journey, the Tiny Vistas.

I invite you to enter into my World of Small at cherycratty.com and view these Tiny Vistas. They can be wonderful reminders of places you’d like to be, even if you’re stuck in the office, or similarly stuck at home. They sit quietly on a little easel on a desk, or hang in a tiny space nearby on the wall, bringing you nature, in miniature. Take a peek and see which painting calls to you to enjoy the view on your own desk or wall.