About The New Series - "The Everglades Passage"
600 years ago - in the late 15th century - mankind envisioned a sea route giving access from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean opening up a possible shorter trade route between Europe and Asia. Several explorers became obsessed in their quest to discover that passage through one of the last frontiers on Planet Earth - the pristine wilderness of The Arctic.

In June , 1903, a young Norwegian by the name of Roald Amundsen set sail from Oslo in his 47-ton, 75-foot sloop, the "Gjoa" and with his crew of six other brave seafaring men, headed west. For the next three years their quest took them from the Atlantic Ocean, through the Arctic Ocean, along the coast of North America via the waterways amidst the Canadian Arctic Archipelago Islands to Alaska. On August 17, 1905 they finally arrived in Cambridge Bay. Young Amundsen found his way to the nearest telegram office in the City of Eagle, Alaska and news of his feat was transmitted to the world ...
"The Northwest Passage" had become a reality - shaving off 4,000-miles
(2-weeks modern-day travel) from the previous route via the Panama Canal.

In June, 2008 - over a century later - a youngish (hhmmmm ??) American artist by the name of Riley Geddings set forth from the Gulf of Mexico on the Southwest Coast of Florida, with his trusty paint brush in hand, and headed east. For the next several months, Riley's quest will take him through one of the last frontiers on Planet Earth - the pristine wilderness of The Florida Everglades. Riley will paint his way via the Ten Thousand Islands to The Big Cypress National Preserve; The Everglades National Park; and eventually Key Largo at the entrance to The Florida Keys in Southeast Florida.

Riley's "The Everglades Passage" now has become a reality - in the same way that
"The Northwest Passage" became a reality for Amundsen, a century ago.

Background History of this Painting
We are nearing the end of our journey and today we are happy to present
"# 7 - Squaw Creek, Everglades National Park" which features an area southwest of Miami and about 10-miles northwest of Key Largo which will be our final destination. Squaw Creek gets its name from the original settlers of Florida - the Paleo Indians - dating back 12,000-years to 10,000-BC. Later tribes included The Calusa Tribe, The Tequesta Tribe - and eventually The Seminole Creek Tribe, present-day "Seminoles". This southeast corner of Florida is comprised of lowland marshes (sloughs - pronounced slews) such as Taylor Slough which embodies waterways such as Squaw Creek which empties into Taylor River and eventually discharges into The Florida Bay.

An interesting note here concerns the geology of this portion of Florida ... Resulting from the last pre-ice age many thousands of years ago, The Everglades "sits on" a bedrock limestone shelf which is about 60-miles wide and 100-miles long - stretching from Lake Okeechobee south to the southern tip of Florida (at the Florida Bay). A mind-boggling statistic is that the gradient of this huge shelf is just two-inches (yes ...... 2") - that means that over that 100-mile length it drops off a mere 2-inches. This results in an extremely slow annual draining of water throughout The Everglades - which explains why they are always wet ("The River of Grass") - in fact they never drain !!

There are no other "Everglades" anywhere else on Planet Earth - The Everglades are unique to Florida. We appreciate and treasure its subtle beauty ..... we have the utmost respect for the complex relationships between water - wind - sunlight and heat ..... we have the utmost respect for the mysteries of the variety and abundance of our wildlife in their unique habitats. Unfortunately, during the past couple of centuries mankind has seen fit to try and change our beloved Glades. The Everglades have been drained, burned, paved, assaulted and destroyed ..... natural waterways have been rerouted ..... canals have been dug ..... all resulting in an un-natural flow of water and contrary to the original concept of Mother Nature when God created our little corner of the universe. We can only hope and pray that hindsight will surface in the minds of those officials in charge of the decision-making process of dealing with Mother Nature.

This Original Painting
This original Florida art - framed canvas-on-board was completed in late October, 2008, and was signed by this artist, R.Geddings.

The actual painting measures 20-inches wide by 16-inches high and is framed in a new, solid wood frame - - wall ready !

WHAT A GLORIOUS SUNRISE - a Florida Sunrise - a Florida Everglades sunrise !
We are facing east, looking out towards Florida Bay, and Riley has once more captured on canvas the brilliant, unforgettable colors of the sun rising in a Florida sky. To cite two of Florida's native citrus fruits, the lemons just above the horizon indicate a sunrise as compared to the oranges of a sunset. These early morning shades of wonder blend beautifully from bright lemon, to yellow, to orange, to blue and to purple ..... magnificent. In the upper left corner, one sees a bank of altocumulus clouds where we find Riley's hallmark - the ever-present curious seagull hovering in mid-air as he seeks out his breakfast.

On the distant horizon we see the beginnings of some mangrove islands - evidence that we are nearing the coast. In the right foreground are two hearty Cabbage Palms, native trees of Florida, located on a mud-flat-island, surrounded by brackish waters. Here we see an Ibis approaching the Great White Heron which is already established at his seat in the restaurant, waiting for his early feed of fish.

Holding center-stage, on the high ground, Riley has included a "CHICKEE".
Do you know what a Chickee is ??
A Chickee is a structure built by indians (such as "Billy Bowlegs", the legendary Chief of the Seminoles) to serve as a house or shelter. It has no walls - it is built on stilts - it is a pole-framed hut with a Palmetto frond thatched roof. The floor of this dwelling is usually elevated a few feet above ground-level - which is often water-level during the rainy season, high water periods. Adjacent to this authentic Chickee are a few more Sabal Palms alongside the Saw Palmettos.

Riley's quest of "The Everglades Passage" is almost at an end .... his destination for his eighth and last painting will be as he exits the southern tip of Florida. Our final stop will be ... "# 8 - Key Largo".

Let the journey continue ... our goal is now in sight ....

Framed
This painting has been mounted in a new, solid wood frame which has been beautifully finished in 2 tones of dark and light Ivory with a gold inner bead ! Many of our clients appreciate receiving their paintings ready to hang - immediately !

About The Artist
Riley Geddings is a self-taught, noted Florida landscape artist who is keeping the old 'traditional Florida art' alive with his unique painting style, influenced in part by the now-famous "Florida Highwaymen" of the 1950's !

He is listed on many well-known art and international internet web sites. He is known internationally and is more and more becoming sought after ! The Art Cove is the official and exclusive source for the BEAUTIFUL PAINTINGS by Florida landscape artist Riley Geddings.

How To Order

Price...........SOLD, SORRY !

Customer's Quote Comment:
"Riley, We now have the painting, and it's beautiful! Thanks."
( L.H. Orange Park, Florida )

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