I found the inspiration for my current body of work at a cove in mid-coast Maine. My paintings reflect the various rock formations along the coast and in the mountains throughout the state. As with all my work, these paintings are a visual chronicle of my continued exploration of the deep silence within nature, as well as within ourselves. These moments of quietude offer a glimpse, a reflection, of the profound wholeness of which everything is a part. I am intrigued by the interplay of color and line in each of the parts, whether that part is a close observation of a tidal pool and a rock crevice or a distant view of a mountain peak or valley. Each of my paintings begins by following nature and never completely leaves the natural context. Realistic contour lines provide an entry point for the viewer; other lines establish a sense of the abstract by creating flat or formless spaces. Similarly, the color scheme originates in nature but is not confined to it. As I work I am reliving the walk – the location of the subject matter – and I am reminded of the duality between the fragility of nature and its power and magnitude. "Stand before it and there is no beginning / Follow it and there is no end.” –Tao Te ChingDarthea Cross exhibits throughout the east coast and California. Her paintings have been acquired by numerous public and private collections, including Verrill Dana LLP, Enterprise Bank, Meditech, Charter Trust Company, Fidelity Investments, and Wellington Management Group. She is a recipient of the Gamblin Paint Award from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.