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February 18 - Autumn Colors and Seasons of Change

Autumn and spring feel similar to me in that they are both seasons marked by change. Today, I invite you to remember the colors of autumn. If you are in a location with wintry weather, perhaps these warm colors will be a comfort on a cold day.

You may also think of foods, smells and tastes associated with autumn. My family enjoys more squash and root vegetables in our diet in the fall and winter. These feature warm colors and earthy texture and their arrival at farmer’s markets is a sign of seasonal change.

Warm colors and unique quality of light through leaves in late afternoon sun are my strongest memories of fall. As I went back to look for photos for this newsletter, I was surprised to see the brightest colored leaves in November, not October. It was interesting to look back through photos and see how the colors I associate with a month are not necessarily the colors of that month. There are so many mixes of colors in the foliage of fall. Below are a few collages I created studying mixes of color in the trees in autumn.

Practice - Autumn Colors

Take a moment to remember or look through some photos at the colors of fall. Imagine favorite autumn foods or outings.

Think about some of the changes you observe in fall; these can be in your routine, in the garden or in the forest. Below are a few fall inspired images.

On Monday I shared inspiration from Clare Walker Leslie, author of numerous books on nature journaling. Another practice she shares is to look for a “Daily Exceptional Image.” She suggests sharing these images around the dinner table with family or across the miles with friends or relatives. The exhibit below is a good example of a collection of exceptional images that might inspire you.

Inspiration from Community Art: Citizen’s Eye at Schuylkill Center

For inspiration, check out this digital exhibit from Schuylkill Center. It includes over 400 images of surprising encounters with nature during the first 9 months of the pandemic. There is great variety in the collection of images and I love that part of the description includes the element of surprise.

When you get to the site, scroll down; the comments come before the images. Photos appear very small but clicking on one will take you to a slide show view. The video below includes a tour of the gallery exhibit.

Thank you for being a part of this newsletter community.

Thank you to everyone who has been sharing images and creations.

Please feel free to share anything you are noticing or creating.

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Thanks, Kathryn