Sunday, August 29, 2010

The Bounties of the Season - Linda C. Miller

Photo Trumpet Creeper

While “calendar” fall begins next month, many of our blooming beauties are already bearing the fruits of their labor. With the help of their pollinators and even on their own, many of the spring and summer flowering flora are growing fruits of many shapes and many colors. Looking up, tree branches that flowered this spring are beaming with their “green” fruits such as the oaks, pomegranates, and persimmons. Why the beeches have already dropped their brown nuts. Today while on my walk, I spied the long green fruit of the Trumpet Creeper almost five inches long!




Over the last two years, I have painted a number of fruits and nuts but it was while I was taking a workshop last fall that I realized how “unnoticed” these subjects can be. It was when Lucy, a dear fellow student of 87 years said, “Now Linda, why are you going to paint those weeds?” looking upon the Horse Nettle fruits on my table. I don’t remember saying anything but when I brought back my work the next week, she then saw what I had seen in those two decaying stems.
Horse Nettle Fruit, Watercolor on HP Paper





I now realize that it’s the naturalist in me that shows up in my work. Whether I am painting from a garden specimen such as the rose hips and including the remains of a spider’s web or the decaying fruit of a mettlesome native wildflower, I so enjoy showing others the intricacies of this amazing world.

Rose Hips, Watercolor on HP Paper


Have a great day with nature!  Linda
Artist, Naturalist and Instructor
Williamsburg, Virginia



6 comments:

  1. Linda, what a wonderful post. (Gorgeous, too!) I think you nailed it, even the reason I started this blog--I would love to help people see the beauty and complexity of nature even in the small everyday things around us. Thank you!

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  2. I'm not sure I would see the beauty in the actual rose hips and nettle that I see in your meticulous renderings of them. Thank you for this!

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  3. I'm right behind you on this! There is nothing more satisfying than to follow a plant through its entire life cycle...and even, sometimes, into decay.
    As for weeds, I love Sarah Stein's statement (I paraphrase) that a weed is a plant in the wrong place and it intends to stay there!

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  4. thank you Kate, Mary and Jeanette! I just love this time of year....Linda

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  5. I agree - you nailed finding beauty everywhere! Great post! Beautiful renderings - they will surely help others take a closer look :)

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  6. I agree with you that painting the little things in nature is tremendously important. So much beauty is overlooked ... and if people never notice the little things, they'll never make wise decisions when it comes to protecting our natural world.

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