A tender walk along Grays Lake, where nature meets skyline and memory meets motion. In Steps Toward the City, Nick Proykov captures a fleeting moment between a man and child—perhaps father and daughter—framed by soft light, lush greens, and the distant hum of Des Moines. The sailboat rests quietly across the water, a symbol of pause in a world that’s always moving. This 16” x 22” oil painting invites reflection, nostalgia, and the beauty of shared silence.