An Adventure with Happy Lil Trees

An adventure means not only having fun, but trying something new. Adventure WV Spring Adventure Activities offer that and more to you.

On March 11, from 4:30pm to 7:30pm, four WVU undergraduate students gathered inside the Outdoor Recreation Center gear rental checkout on the side of the Student Recreation Center. We took cover from the rain and followed the soothing sound of Bob Ross’s voice and the encouraging tips from program leader and graduate student, Ashley Fox, as we painted a mountain landscape. Most of us had barely any previous experience, especially when it came to oil paint. This was bound to be an adventure.

This event was free, with all the materials provided to us. With masks on and social distancing in effect, we fell into a painting rhythm that at times was confident, and then at others was punctuated by mutterings of “what did I even just do?” We bonded over our amazement and sometimes annoyance at how easy Bob Ross made it seem to create vivid mountains in only a few seconds with gentle, quick scrapes along a canvas.

The atmosphere was cozy, with the background noise of rain lingering beneath the calming lull of Bob Ross’s instructions. We were surrounded by equipment: bikes, hammocks, kayaks, skis, sleeping pads and so much more. It reminded me that, even once this relaxing adventure is over, the options for my own adventures surrounded me, as all of the gear is available for students to rent.

Perhaps one of the most exciting parts of this Spring Adventure Activity is that we would be leaving with something that we could hang on our dorm or apartment wall, give to a loved one, or simply display for years to come. For that reason, we all tried our hardest to create a masterpiece, taking Ashley’s advice when it came to different techniques or ways around the hardest parts of the video. We kept Bob Ross’s advice in the back of our head as well, “There are no mistakes, only happy accidents.”

After three hours of laughter, relaxing quiet, learning and, of course, painting, we all emerged with different, yet remarkable artworks. While we each started in the same direction, we all ended up taking different creative liberties, resulting in paintings that reflected our own selves. We each felt proud of our work, especially since we had no previous knowledge of how to paint properly with oil paint.

We all left with a sense of accomplishment and our own landscape painting to let dry for the next few days. It was an adventure, but one that left us with new skills and our own work to always remember it by. It also left us with the excitement of wanting more of these activities. With Spring Adventure Activities happening all semester, and adventure gear available for checkout, the opportunities for more adventures this semester are endless. Get out there and try something new.

About the Author

Alexandria is a senior at WVU with a passion for writing. She is an English major with a dual emphasis in creative writing and professional writing and editing. Alex is and has always been obsessed with reading and writing and is hoping to become an editor and a published author one day. Since coming to WVU, she has been involved each year in the Calliope Undergraduate Literary Magazine, and recently has begun focusing on writing about the wildness and wonder of West Virginia.

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