Wednesday, December 13, 2017

What's It All About Wednesday: Midwinter Debris, Underfoot Series

"Midwinter Debris," reduction linocut © Sherrie York

Our first real snow of the season came to my new stomping grounds in midcoast Maine this week. It was a dozy! Here at my temporary digs on the Pemaquid Peninsula we had about 8" of heavy white stuff. I know it was heavy because I had to shovel it off the deck four times. Once when the snow stopped falling, but three times more after the sun came out and huge melting sheets sloughed off the roof and right on to the porch. (Note to self: When you finally find your own place, be sure it doesn't have a steep roof right above the front door.)

If you've been following Brush and Baren for any length of time you're aware that I like to wander around outdoors... and that I divide my time between staring down at my feet and gazing up at birds when doing so.

The "looking down" behavior prompted an ongoing series, Underfoot, to which I add another image or two each year. This piece, Midwinter Debris, was one of the earliest linocuts in the series. It was hand-rubbed on Hosho paper, during a time when I was still using mostly opaque inks. (Unlike my current practice of using transparent color almost exclusively.) This view included the needles and cones of the ponderosa pine, a signature tree of my former home in Colorado. When I look at this piece I am reminded of montane slopes, bighorn sheep, Steller's jays.

Here in Maine there are no ponderosa pines. No bighorn sheep or Steller's jays. Instead I'm learning to identify white pine and red spruce, their seed structures very different from my western trees. I also have deciduous trees! In this area the woods are dominated by oaks whose first names I've yet to ascertain. Yes, the landscape underfoot is quite different. Plenty of new material for when I can get back to work... which I hope will be soon!






9 comments:

  1. Bravo for the heroic move and best wishes for finding a home for you and Elvis. Looking forward to more Sherrie York masterpieces in 2018. Love from Phoenix. And thanks for the snow pics.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Wendy! It's really cold here today and I'm thinking Phoenix sounds like a great idea. We should chat about a workshop next winter! ;-)

      Delete
  2. It looks enchanting, Sherrie. Looking forward to seeing new works from your new home :-) Julie. x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Julie... me, too... as soon as I have a new home! Ooph.

      Delete
  3. the snow is so pretty but i think i will stick with the inch we get here. I think people would panic more if we got snow like that here :p

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. One inch would certainly be easier to deal with! We've got another 6+ in the forecast next week. Eek.

      Delete
  4. Welcome to New England Sherrie! Beautiful part of the country with ever changing weather. Enduring the winter season only makes the first signs of Spring sweeter.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Everyone keeps using the word "endure" to describe the winter. It's making me nervous. ;-)

      Delete
  5. Good evening Sherrie. Happy holidays, my best wishes to you a happy, healthy and successful 2018.

    ReplyDelete

Linocut in Progress: Color in a gray season

 Mud season came early to the midcoast this year. So. Much. Rain. Seemed like a great time to get started on a piece with a little more colo...