I walk and run amongst trees while foraging and collecting. At home, I spend time experimenting with the finds, as well as learning about tree lore. Much of what I am sharing today is from that world of mine – photos, quilting, pigment making, as well as another set of Simple365 b&w photos of my everyday life.
Simple 365 – Set 14
A set of Simple365 photos from a year of everyday black and white photos. Time had rolled into October during this set. That is the time I can finally head outside after spending long months at home.
That year though, it was different. So all the photos are from around the home. Things that remind me to be happy.
Please Click on the image thumbnails to see the photos.
I created a page with all the previously shared photos from Simple365. That way I can relive my journey through the year via black and white photos, like in an old photo album.
Right around that time, I hurt my right hand so badly that I could not hold a pencil for more than 2 minutes. The thought of permanently losing the ability to draw made me afraid enough to start drawing using my left hand. I could do the large shapes, but no detail work. Thankfully, after much time and effort, I got the use of my right hand back.
Many, many months later, The Dragon and His Boy became a painting. By that time I had started making my own books.
This was the very first 3″ x 4″ book I made. This shade of green spoke to me of old lands with tree and dragon lore. The first painting of the Dragon and his Boy is special. I painted it with the inks I got for my birthday.
This little boy can befriend dragons very easily. While everyone else thinks he has special powers of making dragons listen to him, he would tell you that it is he who listens to them. Dragons always have such fascinating stories to tell.
I am never short of ideas when it comes to dragons and trees. Add a dragon to a tree and I came up with The Dragon And The Tree painting along with a little budding story in my head.
Read how I painted this one here –
There is a beautiful rugged park where I live. I love going there for long walks that are interspersed with short runs. Other than a very few 6:00 AM visits when the air is completely still, my park visits have come to a halt for now due to severe allergies. In the fall and winter months though, I make the most of my time there. This magnificent oak tree has always greeted me.
We had a few major winter storms here. When I visited afterward, I was very sad to see the fallen tree. Around here in the parks, we usually keep the trees where they fall so wildlife and plants can continue to grow around it. There is some comfort in that knowledge. The sky was full of dramatic light that day, and I couldn’t help but take of a photo of this tree. Still beautiful, but in a different way.
At home, I spend my time working with things that I collect during my time outside. After extensive experiments with making pigments from flowers, I turned my focus onto things that have tannin in them.
Our backyard redwood tree sheds cones very readily. I started off with using them to make pigment. Eventually, the experiments turned toward finding out effects of pH and iron on tannin-based pigments.
I also made pigments from dye that I had previously made using walnut husks from our black walnut tree. So now I have five beakers full of tannin-based pigments in the works. I am keeping notes of each step. I love to play and tinker.
I am also making major progress on my Garden Path quilt. I finished sewing all the blocks together, but then got stuck trying to find the “just right” fabric for the rest of the quilt.
I love Morris Brown designs, and was delighted when I found out that they are available as fabrics. The whole quilt was inspired by visiting gardens in England and Scotland. I couldn’t think of a more fitting set of fabrics to finish off my quilt.
I got honeysuckle for the border, oak for the back, and poppy for the binding. The backing is pieced, the batting has arrived, and I am ready to put it all together.
This painting of the Girl and Her Cat is from a book that is solely about their journey through a world of trees and flowers. I really love how close they are sitting together under that large tree, admiring the bluebells.
Trees have always created a place of solitude and comfort for me. I can’t imagine my life without them. I am just a girl who really loves her trees (and mountains. Preferably together). I hope you get to spend a little time with them regularly as well.
-Soma
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