Bicycle Art Inspired by Northwest Arkansas: Painting the Razorback Greenway

If you’ve followed my art for a while, you probably know that I’ve been painting fun, whimsical bicycles since 2016 (read more on my blog post HERE). And there’s a pretty simple reason they keep showing up in my work…

I LOVE to ride!

Living in Northwest Arkansas means we have some pretty incredible bike trails right in our backyard. The Razorback Greenway connects communities throughout Northwest Arkansas and gives us miles of beautiful places to ride, explore, and enjoy the outdoors. I love getting outside, getting some exercise, exploring NWA, enjoying the scenery, and simply being outdoors.

There’s something about being on my bike that clears my head and makes me pay attention to the world around me.

And naturally, bicycles have made their way into my artwork.

From the Bike Trail to the Canvas

I’ve been spending some extra time in my studio this month painting bicycles, and it has me thinking about how much the things we love can influence what we create.

For me, bicycles aren't just a fun subject to paint. They are something I experience regularly, so I have an endless supply of inspiration. When I'm riding the Razorback Greenway or exploring one of the many Northwest Arkansas bike trails, I'm constantly noticing the bikes around me.

My own bicycle is a very old Shimano road bike, but I have to admit, I’ve got my eye on some of those sleek-looking Electra bikes. I always get a little envious when they pass me with ease! I love seeing all the different styles, colors, shapes, and personalities of the bikes on the trail. Those details eventually find their way into my studio—but this is where my imagination takes over.

Painting My Dream Bikes in My Dream Settings

I don't always paint the bike I actually ride or the scenery I've actually seen. Sometimes I get to paint my dream bike in my dream setting.

Maybe it's a colorful roadster bike with a basket full of flowers-coming home from the farmers market near the coast, a whimsical bike parked somewhere I've always wanted to visit, or a scene that could only exist in my imagination. That's one of my favorite things about being an artist. I can take something familiar and create a whole new world around it.

My bicycle paintings aren't meant to be realistic representations of a particular bike or place. I want them to be colorful, playful, whimsical, and full of personality. I might simplify the shape, play with perspective, add unexpected colors, or build up layers of paint and texture to give the landscape a life of its own. And that layering process is really important to how I create.

I usually begin with an idea, but I don't always know exactly where the painting will end up. I add paint, papers, marks, and texture, then respond to what is happening on the canvas. Sometimes I cover something up. Sometimes I scrape it back. Sometimes an unexpected color or mark becomes the part that makes the whole painting work.

In the end, the finished piece often looks quite different from what I imagined when I started. And I love that.

How Cycling Inspires My Art

In a way, the bike trail is part of my creative process, too.

Riding gives me time to observe. I notice the way light hits the pavement, the colors of the landscape, the shapes of trees and buildings, the movement of people and bikes, and all the little details I might otherwise miss.

I may not be consciously thinking about my next painting, but I'm collecting ideas all along the way. Then I bring those ideas back to the studio—and let my imagination take it from there.

I think that's one of the beautiful things about creativity. Inspiration doesn't always come from sitting in front of a blank canvas. Sometimes it comes from doing something you love, getting some exercise, spending time outside, or simply paying attention to the world around you. Sometimes inspiration starts with something real and then takes you somewhere completely imaginary. Some days, it's often found somewhere between the bike trail and the studio.

Art for Bike Lovers

I also love the idea that my bicycle paintings can connect with other people who love to ride. For those of us who enjoy cycling, bicycles can represent so much more than transportation. They remind us of places we've explored, miles we've traveled, people we've ridden with, and the feeling of being outside and moving through a beautiful landscape.

For someone who has spent time riding the Razorback Greenway or exploring the bike trails of Northwest Arkansas, a bicycle painting can become more than bicycle wall art. It can be a colorful reminder of those experiences—a little piece of Northwest Arkansas to bring home.

That's one of the things I love most about collecting art. The pieces we choose for our homes can tell a story about who we are, where we've been, and the things we love.

So maybe a bicycle painting isn't just for a cyclist. Maybe it's for the person who loves that Saturday morning ride.

The couple who explored the Razorback Greenway together.

The family who spent a vacation biking through Northwest Arkansas.

The Bentonville or Fayetteville visitor who fell in love with the trails.

Or the art lover who simply sees a colorful bicycle painting and remembers the feeling of freedom that comes with being outside on two wheels.

From NWA to Your Home

After all these years, I'm still painting bicycles because they remind me of something I genuinely love. They give me an opportunity to play with color, texture, movement, and imagination—and to create little worlds that exist somewhere between what I've experienced and what I can imagine.

And maybe that's why bicycles continue to show up in my work.

They are part of my life.

They are part of my inspiration.

And now, they are part of my art.

I love the idea that one of my bicycle paintings might eventually find its way into the home of a fellow cyclist or art lover—not only as something beautiful to look at, but as a reminder of a favorite trail, a special ride, or a place that holds good memories.

Because maybe I can't own every dream bike or travel to every dream destination—but I can always paint them.

And if you've ridden the Razorback Greenway or explored the bike trails of Northwest Arkansas, maybe one of my paintings can bring a little bit of that experience home with you. You can find my bicycle original art and prints at Art on the Square in downtown Bentonville, Arkansas.

Keep riding. Keep exploring. And keep creating. 🚲🎨