Week of November 3, 2024 – November 9, 2024
by Anna Stunkel, Environmental Educator
For many thousands of years, we humans have used art as a powerful way to connect with the natural world. As the seasons change, so do the colors that we see around us. Fall brings a chill to the air, and crunchy leaves settle over the soft soil and grass. Many painters have been inspired by how light dances through the fiery autumn leaves. As one of my recent program participants described well, when leaves change color we are seeing their “underlayer.” This means that leaves stop producing chlorophyll that allows them to photosynthesize during warmer months, revealing the beautiful colors that we see at this time of year.
Last weekend, two groups gathered to enjoy painting the fall leaves and leafy landscapes with watercolors. On this bright sunny day, there were strong contrasts between light and shadows. Hiking along the Harrison Trail, we gathered different leaves to paint– bright yellow Sugar Maple and basswood, scarlet sumac and Red Maple, and bronze oak leaves. Painters learned different techniques like how to paint dots of leaves in an impressionist landscape, how to use your paintbrush handle to “draw” veins on a painted leaf, and how to use different ratios of paint and water to create beautiful shapes and designs. It was heartwarming to see everyone’s joy and creativity as they painted. Some artists used oil pastels to trace the leaves and veins, while others sat in the sunshine and carefully filled in blue and purple shadows at the edge of the leaves. This activity gave us a chance to zoom in on fine leaf details and look at the bigger picture of landscapes around us.
Whenever I look at historical paintings of autumn landscapes, I feel a sense of nostalgia. There is so much variation in color and composition, with dramatic sunlit scarlet leaves or subtle, soft yellow and orange at dawn or dusk. If you ever wander through an art gallery and admire autumnal art, you’ll probably be moved by its beauty. Here at Baltimore Woods, our members’ art show just opened if you’d like to take a look at some of the beautiful artwork created in our community. Some of it has a fall theme!
During this colorful season, I hope you’ll be inspired by the artwork of others in the past and present. We encourage you to visit us and try drawing or painting the beautiful fall foliage around you.