November's gift

November Gathering, 8x8" Oil on canvas (deep gallery wrap)

There is something compelling about the last vestiges of fall - a last blast of color, yet a bit of weariness ... a whithering that has its grip on the foliage. In this painting - I found a few sprigs of burgundy mums still flowering in my garden and placed them with the lovely, fading hosta leaves that are so intriguing. Working quickly is essential... the hostas in particular were on a steady march toward turning completely brown and shriveling more each hour. But they have a wonderful texture and color about them this time of year...a rather sculptural quality. All of this was quickly placed in a mason jar - of which, little shows, so that I could quickly paint. I also really liked the burgundy/purple of the mums positioned with the complementary colors of the hostas. In spite of the shots of color here, November has become quite dreary ... gray, cloudy, drizzly, with the promise of cold just around the corner.