Variations

Yesterday I experimented with the same concept executed in two different locations. The location is one of my favourites ... a series of stair-step falls along the river near my house. The stones there are mostly soft sandstone except for a few granite-like boulders along the shoreline... these have been washed down from further up the river. The moss seems to prefer these boulder for a growing area.

I collected the leaves from a neighbour's yard and though they are not "wild" tree varieties, they were still very local and I chose them for their unusual colours. The leaves are all brand new and incredibly fragile. I am used to the leather-like quality of the leaves when I work with them in autumn, but the new spring arrivals tear more easily than tissue paper....this surprised me. The wind came up several times as I was making the first piece on the boulder. I had to hover over the entire piece to shield it from the unexpected gusts. A rainstorm passed thru. Once it was gone, calm returned, but not the sun. I liked the spiral on the boulder very much but wanted to see what would happen if I placed the leaves in water.


So, next I re-created it here in a shallow pool. I had added a few lilac blossoms for contrast and extra colour. The piece seemed to take on a life of its own as the wind and gentle currents moved it about the pool. Then it "landed" here and seemed to stick...it seemed at home.

I enjoyed this experimentation very much. I hope to work more with the water later this year once it warms up a bit more. Spring has been very cool so far.