Today is officially the first day of Autumn! Summer has fled. Sugar maples have already begun to show their first flashes of change and the last wildflowers of the year...goldenrod and New England Asters dominate the meadows and roadsides of the Oro-Medonte. Flocks of noisy geese...now restless are spending longer daylight hours feeding in harvested grain and cornfields in readiness for their long trek southward.
Human activity has changed as well. A local farmer was over at the Hillsdale Auto Centre.... a hub of tuneup activity...with his John Deere-driven snow blower to ready it for the customary thirty inch snow "drops" that this area frequently receives throughout the winter. Moose hunters have their rifles sighted up, their bull tags in pocket and are readying their trailers, ATVs and canoes for their annual forays into their Northern camps.
Outdoor painters like myself have pulled out the dormant rich cadmium reds, yellows and oranges reserved for this time of year...along with long underwear, heavier socks, shirts,vests and jackets to provide the comfort necessary when the mercury dives overnight...and usually without warning.Canvases are toned...hiking boots are "Dubbined"...rain slickers are relocated. Algonquin Park beckons for me personally...it is close to me geographically....but more importantly...it is closer still to "Me"....Spiritually. I have made this pilgrimage annually for over thirty years. This experience never fails to leave "Me" uplifted...and in awe of the marvellous beauty of this part of Canada.
This High Holiday period...loosely wrapped around our Canadian Thanksgiving Weekend celebrations is both brief and tumultuous. Like squirrels and chickadees...I will be "out there"...(collecting my winter stores)...of sketches and digital references to carry "Me" through those long...grey winter months. But mostly...I will be savouring and giving thanks...for another opportunity to join in.
"I am blessed"!
Much Peace and good painting...all!
PS If any of my nine students are reading this blog... please take note! My directions NOT to simply copy the sketch were not for your ears...or considerations alone. As you can see from the finished product arising from my unfinished demo layin... "there are no sacred cows"! Risk change and work intuitively! You'll be surprised how much stronger and creative the Right Side of the brain can be in your painting process... when "You" bravely dismiss the Left... or at least demand that it takes turns! Hope you enjoy this! I did...in the "doing"!
Sounds wonderful Frank. I can't wait to see the paintings from the trip.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting that we are waiting for the geese and swans to arrive for the winter here.
Hi Keith!....Thanks for checking in! Yes...I am excited to get "out there". We leave Thursday!Hope the Sunny weather continues!
ReplyDeleteWonderful isn't it...that two artists can share moments of their lives...and live in entirely diversely different cultures and climates...and on opposite points of the migratory cycle at the same moment in time. Marvelous! Loved your latest acrylic piece with the active surf! Good hunting!
Cheers!
Bruce....Not Frank!...HAHA!!!