Catherine Redmond

It’s hard to pick out these two hefty girls whom I saw ambling across the road on Friday. It took me a while to get my camera out and by that time — Turkeys move fast when they want — they were already going into the bushes. They are big animals and very confident as birds go.

This shot was taken just up from my studio.  My studio sits right at a favorite crossing spot they use going from my side of the road across to my neighbor’s stand of pines where they like to sleep at night.  Probably it’s because the creek is there that it is the designated crossing spot for so many species.

 

I notice the in-between periods when light first comes up and recedes, dawn and dusk. These are times that have long attracted me but probably because of the change in seasons and accompanying time change I am more alert to them.

A spring night after

the morning snow

melted to memory

with the western light

dying over Jersey

I settled into my seat

for the long trip home.

 

The day before Easter and the timely approach of spring reassures. There was a Red-Winged Blackbird on the top branch of a tree yesterday who sang from from seven to nine a.m. non-stop. Some eager female surely must have been seduced by that song.  Nests will be starting soon.  Everywhere life is in renewal. It happens fast. Winter and miserable cold and the switch turns on and Spring takes over.

 

I started a painting yesterday, this thing that seemed to come from some source other than me. It presents itself and wow! I am surprised by what I see and how it got here.  Later I was out finding images to shoot and was reminded of Morandi’s landscapes, the drained color and almost imperceptible hue differences, I see him everywhere now.

 

I thought it would be a challenge to bring together a segment of a gouache and a photo. This is the first result that has started me nosing around to see what I can do.

It is often the unexpected door that opens in the studio.  We can choose to enter it or turn away. I’ve found that it is best to take up the invitation and now and then make a discovery. It isn’t inspiration as much as it is curiosity.

We have passed it. The last storm of this winter came last night, wet, soggy and all its determination gone. Winter has given up and this is his last effort in the losing struggle.  My studio is safe and dry, the plumber came today and repaired the leak in the house and now the ceiling must dry before the contractor can repair.  All is well on the Homestead.  Even the Coyotes were more tuneful last night.

On the national front, it’s not so good.  We learn of the Secretary of State’s dismissal, this apparently done not by personal message but a tweet.  The shadow side of our national nature stares at us unblinking. No icing nor military music, nor parades will cover up the darkness that is lose on the land.  The Democrats are like the old Kaiser, desperate for power but too old and weak to take a lead in opposition.  They are no where these days.  Does anyone remember history?

 

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Wire, Snow continues my attraction to the minimal which reads like drawing. The winter is the time it is easiest to see these expressions on the land.  To my continuing surprise, every day brings something new to my eyes and senses.  I had set up this crude wire circle to protect the shoots that were starting to peek above the earth.  I wanted to keep the puppies from running over them.  Once the big snow came, it turned into another order of visual surprise.