Autumn

The seasons seem to change more quickly than before. It's only days ago that the sun was hot and the ground dry. Trees were still green but the summer had become a broiler. The great thing about those days was the chance to stand under giant old trees outside while painting. Summer felt as if it wouldn't end. But the days are shorter, and cooler. There's a bite in the morning air when I retrieve the newspaper. Autumn.

"Autumn Yellow," watercolor on paper

For an outdoor painter, autumn is more than a chance to paint bright colors. The trees, the grasses and undergrowth all change color, and density. Leaves begin to dot the ground here and there, and just today a maple near my studio went bright red. Watercolor gives me a chance to paint those bright yellows and reds. This year, though, my plan is to continue plein air sketching with oils. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Colors on Waterbury," wc on paper

In the works is a series of oil sketches of the same subject in an attempt to capture the autumn change. Here in Iowa the colors started to change a few days ago, and even the greens of the unaffected trees look weaker somehow. My biggest hope is for consecutive sunny days during October and early November. The falls weather here can be cold and dark and damp, but periods of summer-like days are common, so my chances with this particular series idea are pretty good. 

Meantime, these two watercolors are from the past couple of years.