Here’s my latest leaf work, a collaboration with the Autumnal cherry in Abbey Park. The licks of flame that the cherry produces at this time of the year are irresistible to me, the strong gradient and contrast of yellow and red just calls for some playtime.
Sure, leaves are beautiful when spread randomly on the ground, nature is the best artist, so the trick to working with nature is to add something that compliments the natural location, colour and shapes, so as not to detract from its inherent beauty, but in a way, add extra nature to it.
This piece achieves that by using the gradient change from yellow to red, as well as the shape of the cherry leaf itself. What emerges in addition is the reference to fire, a flame circling the base of the trunk, giving it an elaborate, fiery necklace, or as one passer by commented, a fiery yoni!
Working with nature is a challenge with setbacks galore, there is some compromise between what you want to achieve and what the elements, particularly the wind in this case, allow you to create. This is part of the joy of working in this way, the frustration created by a stray gust must be channeled back into the work, or else it fails. Persistence, and patience are key.
A final interesting observation is in the gradual increase in size of the leaves further from the trunk, this was not intentional, the younger, less developed leaves, are never red, while it seems that the larger, mature leaves do gain a red colouring. A vague rule seemed to be observable: the larger the leaf, the redder it will turn. This is interesting when you consider the theory that leaves turn red to extract more nutrients as the leaf shuts down. Smaller leaves are not worth the effort in initiating this extra Autumnal colour, but it could just show the younger leaves have not yet developed the ability to run red at all.
Here’s a study on why leaves turn red, which I found interesting considering. the above observation: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC125091/
A Visual Diary – Oct 2021
- 25th Sept – Veteran Oaks at Aldon Estate
- 26th Sept – Tree Walking group
- 26th Sept – Songs with Grandmother Lime
- 25th Sept – Veteran Hornbeam at Aldon Estate
- 3rd Oct – Abbey Hornbeam Spiral
- 3rd Oct – Abbey Hornbeam Spiral
- 3rd Oct – Abbey Fungi
- 3rd Oct – Abbey Fungi
- 3rd Oct – Abbey Fungi
- 3rd Oct – Abbey Apple Orchard
- 5th Oct – Amur Maple
- 7th Oct – Beech path, Wells
- 9th Oct – Matt Sings to the Beech Trees
- 9th Oct – Sunlight through the birch tree
- 9th Oct – Group walking from grand old oak
- 9th Oct – Group with Spindle
- 10th Oct – Old Hornbean, Butleigh Court
- 11th Oct – Red Maple Display
- 10th Oct – Matt & Ella on old stump
- 10th Oct – Old Hornbeam, Butleigh Court
- 10th Oct – Veteran Oak, Butleigh Court
- 11th Oct – Red Maple Display
- 12th Oct – Cherry art
- 12th Oct – Cherry art
- 12th Oct – Cherry art
- 12th Oct – Cherry art
- 12th Oct – Cherry art
- 13th Oct – Virginia Creeper and Oregon crab apple
- 13th Oct – American Ash Autumnal Display
- 14th Oct – Lime Autumn Display
- 14th Oct – Lime Autumn Display
- Sat 16th – Red Maple Glastonbury Abbey
- Sat 16th Oct – The way to. Grandmother Lime
Bring the outside in!
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