Enjoying Summer

Landscape sketch in watercolour / mixed media.

Contrasts - The Forest Floor

What attracted me to this spring scene

 was the lone sapling 

amongst the mature trees.

As I worked on the watercolour

I soon realized the true subject 

was the subtle interplay of colour,

 and light and shade

 on the forest floor.

Here the vibrant autumn leaves 

are piled deeply and luxuriantly

carpeting the ground.

The Simple Leaf as a Subject

There has been a lot of rain 

this spring and early summer

keeping the foliage lush and green.

There were some interesting compositions in the spring.

Here I enjoyed the textural contrast 

between the crispness of last years' maple leaves 

and the delicate freshness of the new growth.

By midsummer that early vigour 

is already giving way to decay.

We are all familiar of the glories of autumn.

Before the frost and blanketing winter snow

I love trees as a subject

 but have overlooked 

the infinite variety of leaves.

There's a saying, "You can't see the forest for the trees."

meaning you can't see the big picture for the minutia. 

But maybe you could  also say the opposite, 

"Sometimes  I can't see the the leaves for the trees."

Pastel Sketch from the Spring Trip

This year the deciduous leaves 

were just coming out 

and shimmered with chartreuse and gold

against the dark bluegreens

 of the evergreens.

Spring Photos - Far

 

Spring Photos - Near

Spring Photography Trip

We've just returned from our annual spring trip

 to Presqui'le Provincial Park 

and these two views 

illustrate the panorama from our campsite.

The photos were stitched together

 from about 8 shots

I took with my handheld digital camera.

You can see how they overlap 

top right with bottom left.

Here (if you peer at the bottom of the photo)

 you can just see our RV on the site

 the setting sun to our right.

This year lots of photo opportunities.

Water as well as skies.

Wildlife

 Some I was anxious to get closer to.

Some I wanted to avoid.

Some surprised wildlife...

barely visible across the field.

Each year is different ..

I never fail to be fascinated 

with what gems I might discover!