The Light in Between

While I was working on the last post, "Oak Leaves", I was intrigued by the colors and shapes between the leaves. In order for the close up of the leaves to be in focus the background was out of focus, and the colors were unexpected and glorious. I was up early and started to play with the colors, layering them on top of each other, like collage. This is what happened. I think each one will become a small work 10 in. x 10 in.

Garden Memory

Oak Leaves

The garden is almost put to bed, I have to dig up some pale yellow iris I promised some friends and plant a few daffodils I found in a pail beside the compost, actually quite a few daffs. It's looking good though, spare, the bone show, and most of the color is muted. I am waiting for the young oaks at the back to drop their leaves before I do the final "sweep".

Oak leaves

Leaves in the Pond

Getting the final parts of the garden put to bed and I need to rake the edges of the pond to get out all the debris i.e. leaves and pine needles so that we do not add any more sediment to the bottom. For some reason the color of the water seems darker at this time of year and I love how the leaves appear under several inches of water.

Pond leaves and pine needles

Rain Drops

Took these photos the other day, the patterns made by the droplets are gorgeous. I would love to be able to capture the moment the drop hits the water, more experimenting with JB's camera needed.

raindrops on pond

Back to the Pond

We have had strong winds and driving rain for the last couple of days. Taking a break yesterday and walking around the pond I noticed how the pine needles had been swept to one side of the pond and arranged in the most beautiful patterns. It looked like they were really trying to be obedient and all face the same direction but their natural exuberance made for more chaotic patterns.

Pine needle patterns

I love Type

It's true, I love type. I love the shape of the letters, I love the space around them, the only problem with this relationship is I can't spell, but who cares every relationship has its bumps. Over the years I have made "artists books" and have plans for more. "Homage for Betty" (need a new title so any suggestions are welcome) is at the mock-up stage, while "Why I Paint" is still only at the computer stage. With this book I am hoping to learn letterpress so am eagerly scouting out people, studios and workshops to take some courses. Meanwhile I have been playing with type again, this time using the whole alphabet except for Z, there was no more room. The typeface is Americana and all the letters are lowercase.

a, b, c, .....well you get the picture

Hallucinating on the letter "a"

Spent the week-end in a fog of flu and hallucinating or dreaming or whatever on the lower case letter "a". I kept seeing the rounded top of the letter and then other bits and pieces. Alway in black type but often in different typefaces. In between bouts of sleep I made this, well actually about 4 of these but I think we can stop at one.

"a" is for ......

Playing With Letters

Spent most of the day designing a logo for a friends company and while looking through the old files found this type that I drew years ago. The logo will incorporate children's drawings and needs a "hands on" feel so I had a great time playing. P.S. It's snowing!

Sunrise Drama

There was 10 minutes of fabulous,  heavenly drama this morning as the sun rose. Think it must have been in celebration of the Chilean miners' rescue which has had me glued to the TV, internet or twitter for the past 2 days. How wonderful and inspiring their story is.

The heavens are telling

First Frost

It was cold last night as we walked Zoe and the stars were amazing. Forgot my Ipod with Star Walk so still only know the names of about 4 stars but I'm learning. This morning when I got up there was hard frost on the ground; soft, golden light and leaves falling. I love the way the frost outlines each leaf. I become so much more aware of their pattern and texture, and I love the way the silvery, glinting frost changes the color.

First Frost

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I was thinking about all the things I am grateful for, doing my own thanksgiving you could say....so in no particular order, well except for JB making the top of the list, here are some of the things I am giving thanks for, JB, Zoe, my studio, family, friends, art, music, books, stones, water, beer and cigs, galleries, museums, Florence, my garden, FB friends and community, trees, my Mac, words, my strong and healthy body, love, my piece of heaven.

Shimmering Pond

I am loving using this grid idea. It's seductive and addictive and playful. So here are photos of the pond. It's almost my favorite time for the pond, the only thing is it's to cold to swim.

Shimmering pond

Another Grid

I came down stairs the other morning to find the living room windows fogged over. We need to get the storm windows on, hopefully this week end. Meanwhile I love the patterns  and the texture the condensation has created.

My foggy windows

The Color Square

I thought I was making a color wheel but it had a mind of its own and wanted to be a color square. Realized that turquoise was going to be a problem until I looked beside me and there is a beautiful stone with just the color I need. Thank you!

Red

First frost last night and really late this year, but the best thing is the sun is out! Continuing the color wheel it's red today and not a maple leaf in sight. The storms of the past week have really opened the views through the woods so that the vertical gray of the tree trunks are becoming predominant. The bones are beginning to show in the garden.

Rose Hips...the deer were munching these early this morning

Berberis, one of my favorite shrubs....love the hearts

Euoymus, or Burning Bush...fabulous bark and stems and amazing fall color

Orange

Pouring rain the last 2 days, dark and heavy with a chance of flooding....U%$#$. Good thing I shot these Wednesday in a brief period of light. I want to see if I can go through the whole color wheel using the fall colors. There is a problem with the blues, I will have to use the sky and the mountains, neither of which are visible at the moment! So here is orange.

Sumac leaves...gorgous

More sumac leaves

Peony leaves