Moxie Maples | Glowing New England Fall Painting

There is nothing quite like fall in New England.

Moxie Maples captures that brief, brilliant moment when the trees seem almost impossibly colorful—fiery oranges and reds mixed with golds and lingering greens, all reflected in the dark, quiet water below.

The scene was inspired by an early October view along Route 101 near Peterborough, New Hampshire. And, in true New England fashion, this beautiful little creek happened to be just across the parking lot from a New Hampshire liquor store—proof that sometimes a wonderful view turns up in the most unexpected places.

Someone once suggested I call the painting Cabernet Canopy because of its location. But with all that brilliant orange, Moxie Maples seemed much more fitting—a playful nod to the classic New England soft drink and to the spectacular maple trees that make autumn here so special.

The original painting has another unexpected chapter to its story: it was later stolen from a small consignment shop in Salem, New Hampshire. It has never made its way back to me, so I don't know where the original Moxie Maples is today. Fortunately, the image—and that wonderful burst of New England fall color—lives on.