Bronze beeches, silver birch and sycamore. A carpet of copper leaves, drifts of small gold birch ‘coins’, blazing metals against charcoal branches.

Since early November I’ve been responding to the ever-dwindling autumn colour in the surrounding woods and hedgerows, by experimenting in my studio workbook; simplifying, abstracting, finding ways of suggesting what I’ve experienced. Then with ink, acrylic, collage, calligraphy etc on individual works on paper.

It’s been enjoyable using a variety of my own calligraphy, collage and various ways of mark making, plus limited metallic touches. I like the way the lettering is also reminiscent of the bare branches of the increasingly denuded trees. As the autumn has given way to winter, the sparks and flickers of gold, deeper in the woods where there’s more shelter from the wind, have become all the more precious.

• 

• 

• 

• 

While I’ve enjoyed creating these works and spreads, I’d like to take the ideas further into abstraction. The simple collage in the photo of my studio workbook above top, although somewhat subdued, is the one I actually find most satisfying in it’s minimalism and use of space. It would be interesting to work on similar versions on a large scale at some point.

Top: photo by Irina Iriser from Pexels Above: photo by Abraham Braun from Pexels