Bluebirds (black on white)

December 19, 2014

Nothing blue about these bluebirds… silhouetted against a winter white you have to imagine their blue feathers and rust colored breast. Imagine the rose pepperberries, the green palm fronds, the brown acacia pods. Imagine they’ll be sun soon and a bright blue sky! Meanwhile there is a poetry in form that is revealed when color is removed from the equation.

Bluebirds (black on lavender)

December 18, 2014

Imagine my delight discovering the flock of birds overhead were actually bluebirds! It may be hard to tell silhouetted against the sky like this but I swear that’s what they were and I’ll prove it in upcoming posts (I plan to stalk this pepper berry tree in better light)! In fifteen years of living in California I’ve only had two previous sightings, so this was a real surprise and a wonderful chance to take some reference shots for my paintings (especially helpful if my palette is only black and lavender)!

Plum Petal Puddles

February 9, 2014

If you have the right perspective even a mud puddle can be lovely.

Winter’s Art

December 21, 2012

How I loved studying these intricate icy patterns that formed a frosty crust on a creek in Kirkwood.

Bury Me Amid Nature’s Beauty

November 7, 2012

That’s what persimmons say in the Victorian language of flowers, “Bury me amid nature’s beauty”, how poetic! How appropriate too, November is the month when persimmon leaves blaze yellow and gold and fall away revealing ripe orange persimmons dangling from bare branches like festive ornaments.

I took these photos yesterday between walking the kids to school and voting, it’s nice to take a few moments even in the busiest of days to feel and see deeply. Time to make some persimmon chutney!