Happiness is loving where you live,
and seeing the beauty in every leaf;
in every flower petal;
in every unexpected critter sighting.
In the songs of birds,
and the chatter of squirrels.
In every hot cup of tea on a cool autumn afternoon;
In the rhythm of nature's seasons 🍃🍂
As the days get shorter but still nice enough to enjoy, I find myself pondering such things . This may be why I am always filled with lots of ideas (sometimes too many!) and busy with making new art this time of year.
🍂
I've lived in VT for 20 years but I actually grew up in NJ. My house was in a neighborhood that abutted a wooded state park, which I loved, but on the other side of the park was the Garden State Parkway. The constant rumble of traffic whizzing past drowned out any chance of really enjoying the peaceful solitude of nature. When I first moved to Vermont, one of the first things I noticed was that in the quiet I could hear the sound of birds' wings as they flew overhead . That really left an impression on me and made me hyper aware of things I hadn't ever noticed before, and in turn really influenced my art. I think it's a big part of why I focus on smaller things, like an individual flower, instead of bigger picture landscapes. I've tried to paint looser, more abstract, but I always go back to those details that highlight the individuality of each petal, piece of birch bark, or whatever my subject matter is.
I also love this time of year, even after the leaves have lost their vibrance and fallen from the trees, because the bareness of stick season reveals more of the forest that's been under cover all summer. I'll go off the path into the woods to look for uniquely shaped twigs and branches, carpets of lichen and mosses, mushrooms, ferns, whimsically curled leaves. It's easier to spot woodland birds and critters industriously running about preparing for winter, and to find myself as well. 🌿