Tuesday, September 18, 2018

Painting Leaves--Again

"September", watercolor

 Time to Paint the Leaves--Again

Each year at this time I find myself painting leaves and wondering why I am so drawn to this subject. What is it that compels me to capture them on canvas or on paper. Even as I look around my house and notice that leaves seem to be integrated into my decor, I still question why I want to paint them every year. Well obviously I really like leaves. 

But is there another reason why I year after year I paint the leaves? Aside from their interesting shapes and glorious fall colors is there another reason why?

"Falling Leaves" watercolor


"Fall Fantasy" hand-painted silk

In much of my artwork, landscape paintings in particular,  I am intrigued by transitions. Night to dawn, daylight to twilight and eventually sunset. The lighting and atmospheric changes at these transition times have been dominating themes in my recent work.

"Up with the Birds" watercolor

Seasonal transitions, especially the transition from fall to winter have also been themes in my paintings. I love those last colorful gasps of fall before the quiet solemnity of winter. And I remember how just a few months ago those leaves were young and green. Now they are ready to fall to the ground and become part of the earth.

"Falling" watercolor 

The Last Transition

And then there is always the last transition--from life to death. For me leaves represent that transition   as they turn colors, then fall to the ground and slowly decay leaving a delicate network of lines to hold together the last little bits of leaf. 

Painting the leaves is just another way to remind myself of how fragile this life is, and sometimes how short it can be. Painting the leaves is a reminder that nothing lasts forever. We are here for a while and then fade away and become part of the earth. 

But even in that transition there is a beauty. Just like the leaves, a delicate network of lines holds us together until the final release.



"Leaving" pencil


But until that time I'll just keep painting the leaves! 


"Fall Leaves" food coloring (yup!) and metallic paint

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