A flash caught my eye as I was getting out of my car a few days ago. Something stood out against the grays of the urban landscape and as I bent down to inspect it I discovered this amazing red leaf. The spotting and discoloration reminds me of a ribcage or spinal column. “Such beautiful decay.” I thought to myself as I scooped it up and brought it into the studio. This leaf has stirred something but I am not sure what the results will be yet. Right now it’s just a feeling, that flutter of inspiration mixed with intuition that comes before the act of creating. The next step is to translate all of that into an image. Perhaps it will just manifest as a color pallet in reds, golds, tobacco…or as a simple composition. It’s quite possible that by the time the work is completed the leaf's influence will be so far removed that it will be imperceptible. Still, it represents a wonderful jumping off point and I am feeling the pull of this tiny red leaf as it waits for me in the studio.
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| A very special guest. |
Maybe it’s my state of mind but it seems like miraculous events keep unfolding this week. Besides the discovery of the red leaf and the freak winter storm that paralyzed the region…yesterday as I went to the mailbox I bundled up against the cold with my favorite bright green scarf and tiptoed my way across the snow and ice to collect the mail. I stood for a moment glancing over the assortment of envelopes and as I looked up I was face to face with a humming bird. It was only inches away from me and I could hear it's busy wings as it hovered there trying to determine what I was. It must have been attracted to the intense spring green of my scarf. I was stunned and delighted and all the more surprised because the temperature was in the mid 20s. There are several hummingbird species that live in western Washington year round and I believe my little visitor was an Anna’s Hummingbird. These are such enchanting little birds that you can’t help but feel singled out as special when you are visited by one of them. I found the photo above from
Bird-Friends.com
NOTE: Workshops are now full. Thank you to those who signed up and I am looking forward to welcoming you into my studio. I will be offering additional workshops in March and April and have started a wait list for the current schedule. Please feel free to contact me if you are interested in learning more about encaustic painting and the classes I am offering.
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| Rainier Club gallery installation |
I've been getting a lot of new interest in my work that continues to be on display at the
Rainier Club. In the coming weeks
my website will be updated with a list of upcoming exhibitions slated for 2011 and additional information about my encaustic workshops.
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| Rainier Club installation |
A flash caught my eye as I was getting out of my car a few days ago. Something stood out against the grays of the urban landscape and as I bent down to inspect it I discovered this amazing red leaf. The spotting and discoloration reminds me of a ribcage or spinal column. “Such beautiful decay.” I thought to myself as I scooped it up and brought it into the studio. This leaf has stirred something but I am not sure what the results will be yet. Right now it’s just a feeling, that flutter of inspiration mixed with intuition that comes before the act of creating. The next step is to translate all of that into an image. Perhaps it will just manifest as a color pallet in reds, golds, tobacco…or as a simple composition. It’s quite possible that by the time the work is completed the leaf's influence will be so far removed that it will be imperceptible. Still, it represents a wonderful jumping off point and I am feeling the pull of this tiny red leaf as it waits for me in the studio. 
Comments
Brilliant description Lisa.
The leaf is amazing. I also liked your comment that the final creation may not even directly resemble the initial image of the leaf. Such a cool creative process. Thank you for sharing your artist's reflection of this special moment. Oh, and the humming bird - how amazing was THAT!!!