Behind the Cover Art: August, 2026

August is the perfect month to enjoy water activities, which inspired this month's cover design featuring river rafting on the American River. After reviewing several reference photos, I selected one that offered a strong composition with clear background, middle ground, and subject matter.

Although I had never attempted a painting like this before, I am pleased with the result and hope you will enjoy it as well. As for trying river rafting myself—perhaps forty years ago! For now, I’m content to capture the experience by digitally painting on my iPad Pro and watch the activity from the comfort of my living room big screen TV.