The above piece (imaginatively titled Ten Maple Leaves) is one I finished in … 2010? maybe? I was clearing out behind the cabinet where I stuff things that are in time out, or are done and I have no idea what to do with them. I was keeping Margaret company who was visiting from Scotland, and making a thing. I still like it. It made me think about other leaves I meant to address in a similar way.

So I gathered up handfuls of leaves over the last week, and scanned them onto silk fabric. The first one I finished today is Ten Cottonwood Leaves. I am delighted with the blocks of fabric contrasted with the thin strips, and the way the leaves shine. I picked these up from around the front porch of a restaurant I am temporarily obsessed with (they make crepes, and also have the tastiest and most mysterious salad dressing ever). I thought they were birch leaves, but the trunk of the tree, going right up through the roof of the porch, is not at all a birch trunk.

Not work – inspiration. The marsh to the north of my mother.

Also an astonishing blue sky and perfect fall weather. This is what people imagine when they think of New England fall; sun, blue skies, cool shadows and warm sun. I think the weather we had Friday, with scattered rain and fog, and the brilliance of turning leaves with a scrim of mist is just as correct, and sometimes easier to find.

I can feel the landscape work winding down a little, and some of the pressure for abstract work ramping up. There is always work to do: experiments to make, fabric to dye, other fabric to paint or stamp or practice with gelatin plate printing again. Messing about to accomplish.

Onward!

When I delivered the sunset pine trees to the gallery, Lesley told me “tell me quick a name for that before I call it My Backyard” so I called it sunset pines and that was fine. This one is another view of her backyard, however I have not yet been to visit and cannot vouch for the clarity of the vision.

Working to get two pieces finished for Lesley at Grow Gallery – this one started with one of several photos she took and emailed to me, “in case I needed inspiration,” which I thought was very generous of her. I am pleased with the colors in this one but dubious about the perspective.