Friday, December 2, 2011

Pair of Teasels - Lin Frye

Pair of  Teasels by linfrye
Pair of Teasels, a photo by linfrye on Flickr.

1/8 Sheet
Arches 140#CP

"The color, we say, is gone, remembering vivid October and verdant May. What we really mean is that the spectacular color has passed and we now have the quiet tones of Winter around us, the browns, the tans, a narrower range of greens, with only an occasional accent in the lingering Winter berries. But the color really isn't gone. The meadow is sere tan....the bronze curve of the goldenrod...the cinnamon seed head of the pungent bee balm....the white parentheses of the stark birches...bronze tuffs of one-winged seeds...of the box elder..." (Hal Borland - 'Sundial of the Seasons'

One of my most influencial nature writers - Hal Borland - was once a columnist for the New York Times. He died in 1978, so his books and words have been keeping me company and helping me 'see' the world around me for many, many years.

I like to start my day (when I'm home) with one of his 'journal' entries, In his book 'Sundial of the Seasons' these entries are daily and mark the progression of the seasons day by day as he saw them in his Northeastern home. Some days, like today, his sentiments echo the words I'm searching for, the observations I too have made - his pen far more eloquent than my own.

When I finish one of Hal's passages, I find myself a bit more aware of the world around me, better able to approach a new artwork with a heightened sense of 'seeing.'

Do you have books or music or words to inspire your paintings and creative work? I'd love to hear them ....

Lin Frye
North Carolina

6 comments:

  1. beautiful post, beautiful painting,

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  2. What a wonderful painting, Lin! I love the words you chose to accompany it - so full of visual and color delight. The cool and warm colors are so beautiful together.

    I've always found Annie Dillard's way of looking at things inspiring, something about the words and the rhythm of her work connects with something in me.

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  3. Lyn, you've captured the spikyness of the teasel so well. I love your use of complementary colors, too. I'm glad to know about Hal Borland. I must look him up. Thanks.

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  4. Beautifully done Lin, and the accompanying words are excellent! I also get inspired by many of the beautiful quotes around and, in particular, Sara Teasdale does it for me.

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  5. Your teasel is beautiful. Even though they are a 'weed' here, I have a special fondness for them ... and you captured it. Hal Borland is a favorite of mine too.

    Aldo Leopold is a favorite writer of mine. He wrote with such understanding of nature. I want to see nature equally well, both with art and with writing. .. and the French writer Jean-Henri Fabre makes me want to look ten times harder at the insect world.

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  6. It's lovely, Lin! I enjoyed Hal Borland, too...and Leopold, as well.

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