Close Looking

Throughout October and November, I’ve been walking, mostly with my head down, taking pictures of small landscapes in the meadows, gardens, and along the edges of the woods.  All that bending down and getting really close has turned into a series of collages / mixed media works inspired by the color palettes.  I see this as a meditation, writing journal entries as I go, poems, and jotting down resources or intentions for resources when I get home.  (I needed to look up just how many seeds were packed so carefully into the milkweed pod – and found an average of 226 is the estimate!)  I watch how beautifully nature composes, how exquisite the color combinations are especially when I am 3 inches away from a mess of weeds along a path or in a cultivated garden.

After the weekend water color workshop here at 26 Split Rock Cove, with Marcie Jan Bronstein, I began practicing my newest skills and trying to not only figure out how the exact color might be mixed, but also how I could combine these painted papers with other materials I had already painted or printed or drawn on.  I wasn’t looking for verisimilitude, but rather a feeling.  Here’s are some examples.

These collages and others will be shown at the Kelpie Gallery, 81 Elms Street in South Thomaston, from November 29 – December 24, 2019.  The exhibition is a pop-up for Women in the Arts.  The opening reception is November 30, from 5 – 7 pm.