“Ghost Among the Pines” is a striking oil painting that took me nearly a week to bring to life — from the first flickers of an idea to the final brushstrokes on canvas. I began by sketching out the lynx’s elusive form, aiming to capture the wild spirit and silent grace of this animal moving through its snowy forest home. Once the sketch felt alive on the canvas, I laid down thin, careful layers of oil paint, gradually building up the texture and depth that give the lynx its piercing blue eyes and the sense of quiet motion through the snow. This piece reflects my dedication to capturing nature at its finest — where the untamed world and a fleeting moment meet on canvas.