White pillows
Float into hollows, nooks
And burrows.
Aspen and willow,
Stark, dark: sinister
Whispering sharp wind
Billows.
Lichen hillocks.
Holly and blackthorns
Creak under laden leaves
Dripping icy nature’s tea.
Flirty flurries settle on warm cheeks
And tiny beaks.
Woodland Wildlife seeks solace
From fizzing blizzards.
My collagraph plate was inspired by one of the dead, old oak trees that I see on my walks through the Bedfordshire countryside: always silhouetted against the sky is one or more crows and ravens, congregating on the branches watching over the fields.
I used teased out string glued onto the mountboard to create tree bark and bird feathers. I created the branches out of textured wallpaper and made marks in it with a knife.
After the plate was varnished and dried with a hairdryer, it was time to ink up the plate using brushes. I wanted to create an atmospheric moonlit effect so I combined blues and used plenty of extender.
I hope you like the result. 🙂
The printed plate was hand pulled through an etching press. I used damp watercolour paper. Every collagraph print is different. I achieved a ghost print which was much lighter too.
Essence of presence
Preserved momentarily.
Precious and precarious,
Language of otherworldlyness.
How cathartic torrential rain can be. Even though I got soaked I felt closer to nature. All my senses became enhanced. It was a wonderful experience. Enjoy.:-)
Lavender tinted pillows
Of wild water mint,
Reach over the banks.
Willowherb whiskers
Hissing in the sweet
Seasonal breeze.
Teasels and sensual
Seeds drift
Like a misty moon.
Cavorting capriciously
In a Cowparsley cloud,
Voraciously darting
About; proudly
Singing aloud.
Shrouded in baby bunny-
Fine fluff,
Dreaming of silken
Butterflies,
Preening on
Milky filigree
Tufts.
When walking in the countryside around the beautiful sleepy hamlet of Bygrave with my friend and our three dogs, we took a footpath through a copse which was filled with Cowparsley. We trailed through a cloud of fluffy tufts, a dreamy, magical maze.
This week’s writing prompt from Club Introvert is ‘focus’.
Edward de Bono’s quote was a great source of inspiration.
“Focusing on things that are normally taken for granted is a powerful source of creativity”.
In these seed heads I noticed their form, texture and patterning. In the landscape they add structure. They are last summer’s flowers, autumn and winter food for our birds. Even where there is now an abundance of spring colour and seed heads can be unnoticeable, we can focus on their understated beauty and usefulness.
“http:61musings.com/2014/04/09/ibq-writing-prompt-focus/”
This photo was inspired by Cee’s black and white photo challenge, found in nature. I discovered these teasels whilst walking my dogs near an old sand pit, reclamed by nature, I feel that these spiky seed heads add structure to the landscape. Originally I shot colour and then used Snapseed to change my picture to black and white. I hope you enjoy it.
“http://ceenphotography.com/2014/03/12/cees-black-and-white-challenge/found-in-nature”
Reflecting on the goodness and
Vitality of yesterday
Makes today special.
Watching the sun going down and listening to nature’s lullaby inpired me to reflect and take forward that moment in time to the next day. Live every day as a special day.
Pussy Willow,
Soft as pillows,
Slinky,
Silvery,
Shimmering in
Winter sunlight.
Such a pretty sight!
Lavender Moon: Artist, Poet and Lover of Nature 
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