I met Emmy at Spoken Moto while I had my art displayed at Spoken Moto in June 2022. I was having regular talks with the community on Fridays and one day, I happened to meet Emmy. We spoke for a good amount of time and I shared about involving the community in contributing to art.

Fast forward a few months and a new Santa Cruz mountain bike from Pine Mountain. As I was looking through the pictures I saw a picture of Emmy and realized the woman I spoke to months prior was the Executive Director of COTA. The next time I saw her I pulled up the pictures of me enjoying my time on the trails. I talked about the canvas idea after working on another work for a local campaign. As we were talking she mentioned that COTA was celebrating 30 years of trails. I said we could do a canvas and I would donate the canvas to raise funds and we decided on splitting the proceeds of the sale.

I received the COTA logo for the 30 years of trails and I stenciled it onto the canvas and then brought the canvas to the volunteer event that kicked off a weekend of activities.

To prepare for the evening, I met up with Emmy on Oct 13, and we rode together and did some fun ambassadoring on the trail with a new woman that had just moved to the area. After our ride, Emmy pushed her bike over the canvas to “kick off the collective canvas.”

The next evening, I arrived early to set up and as soon as guests arrived, I began explaining the canvas idea. I loved meeting all the volunteers that came before me. It was so fun to meet many of those that “carved the path” quite literally. I am so grateful to be able to ride on the amazing trails and do so regularly.

As I mentioned to Emmy I wanted to paint it at the Trailhead and she loved the idea that I would throw dirt on it from Phils. Later in the evening I was talking with a couple, and they asked when I was going to paint it. I excitedly told them the next Saturday (Oct 22) at the Trailhead. They said…you need to paint it at “the Chicken.” I replied “Oh, interesting…that could be fun, though could be a little challenging.” And in the same breath, I basically said…”that sounds fun, I’m going to.” The next Friday, I rode my bike to scout and find the fastest way to the Chicken with canvas in hand. I was able to hop from Ben’s Trail and take KGB to the Chicken. I thought along the way, “this is going to be challenging AND there were people that came before me that needed to create the trails so I was even more excited to paint it the following day.”

Interestingly enough, October 22 was going to be the start of some of the coldest days for the fall. Again, I said, this is about the determination of 30 years of trails so I dressed in layers and rode out to the Chicken. I definitely got some looks AND had some great conversations on the trail.

I arrived at the Chicken and as I was setting up, people were asking about what I was doing and even spoke with a few volunteers from COTA that signed the canvas. I had around 3 hours at the Chicken in 30 degree weather. I was talking with those that passed by including a family that had just moved here from Alaska. Everyone was enjoying themselves and I enjoyed a different way of sharing my art in the community…in the mountain biking community, one that is near and dear to my heart.

I talked with Emmy about the colors for the art and we decided on shades of green, browns and white. As I was talking with many people, I added a couple hours of paint. I used some greens and transparent whites that I had and added some Phil’s trailhead dirt and used some of the pine spores to paint and texture the work. I got to a good stopping point while out there along with being very cold, so I packed everything up and packed out.

It took a few more months to see the painting I completed at the Chicken was in fact complete; and was now ready for display and present to COTA members at an upcoming fundraiser to raise funds for a cause I hold near and dear to my heart.