Friday, March 29, 2013

"March"ing... Hopefully Towards Spring... and Summer

We are rapidly approaching yet another change in 2013, as we get ready to roll over March and hopefully... bring Spring from the wings fully on to the stage. Budding on the lilac bushes... six inch spikes mark the new presence of emerging daffodils... hen's chicks have begun to lose their ruddy winter magenta patina and the birches are showing their tell-tale pinkish red cast at the edges of the hardwood  forest cover. Creeks are open and running furiously and night time temperatures are not dipping below zero much these past evening.

This will likely bring a rapid halt to the sample syrup production. Trees head towards leafing out quickly from the first bud stage. A few days of feeling the increased heat from a closer sun, soon shifts the mechanism in the sugar maple from sending up sap from the shallow root system to the branches... to supplying the energy to the buds for the purpose of leafing out. This shifts the focus from sugar production to photosynthbrings the sugaring off to a final closing.

I did not make it out to actually visit a shanty in production...  but I will check it out this week. Maybe I'll be in luck. I wanted to create one larger painting to celebrate this unique springtime ritual in a new way. So often my paintings tend to be directed to simply painting the sheds or gathering process. But this year... I searched for another way to juxtapose and celebrate both the sugarin' off... and the coming of Spring itself. I fleshed out some ideas... and finally arrived at this scenario - one which I have indeed witnessed on more than one occasion over the years. This does accompany the predictable human gathering rituals... but "We"... aren't the only ones with that idea! Perhaps the "idea" to gather sap... might have originated with these wee gatherers... or others of their kind. Who knows???

This is my take on a pair of tiny Black-capped Chickadee hunter-gathers... busy in the hardwood stands This is my first day of work and it will continue until I complete the painting, hopefully before the end of the weekend. Lots still to do on this one... but I do intend to try to maintain the current loose and "painterly" style in completing the painting! It has a plein air ambiance at this point that I like. We'll see how our Easter celebration plans... a weekend visit from my son Bryn unfolds. Family first!

Stay tuned...

Good Painting!...and A Happy Easter to ALL!



"The Sweet Taste of Spring" - oil on toned panel 20x16 inches




10 comments:

  1. Bruce I love it, the composition is so interesting, at first I thought there was an actual bucket and little bird. What I love the most in the snow and the beautiful glow of the sun. Yes, it does have a plein air look to it, looking forward to it's completion. Happy Easter to you, Deb, and Bryn. Enjoy.

    All the best to you,
    Joan

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi there Joan!... Thank you for visiting and for your complimentary comments and encouragement!

    I am excited about this painting as well! I had been searching for something vastly different than my usual approach to recording sugarin' off... just like your Square format sun flower painting that you just posted.

    I will really try to maintain the lighting effect and the overall freshness and plein air feel! So far... it really works I think!

    Happy Easter to you and Mike!

    Good Painting!
    Warmest regards,
    Bruce

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm excited to watch the unfolding of this one! I think chickadees are my favorite bird. You have already captured "his" likeness so well, he appears as if ready to fly off your canvas! Lovely!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi there Wendy!... Thank you for your visit and kind words of encouragement. The chickadee is the "smiler" of the bird world. They are like that rare individual you meet in life... who maintains a cheerful... friendly and positive outlook ... no matter the weather or the strife around them. For that reason ... I always love to watch them and be with them!

    They say... "Birds of a feather... hang out together." HA HA!!
    You are a "chick...a dee"... in every way mentioned! HA HA!!!

    Good Painting!... and Hoppy Easter Wendy!
    Warmest regards,
    Bruce

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love that the chickadees want in on that sugar! Here we have no buds on anything yet, no green, no flower shoots, nothing. That said, we hit 50's yesterday and the day before (after below freezing nights) so I'm guessing we're in for the bud explosion soon. My favorite part of spring, the earliest days when the buds start appearing and the leaves and flowers and grass haven't begun to look old and tired (like me!)!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi there Sherry!... Thanks for visiting!

    Who desn't want in on that sugary sweetness which only Spring can deliver?

    Budding out everywhere here. The tour boats took out their first boat loads to tour the Islands yesterday... despite the ice floes still slowly making their way to the Atlantic. Summer is just around the corner! Believe it!

    Hey Sherry! Easter and Spring should be about Resurrection... Rebirth and Renewal. Mirrors always tell half the truth... for they only convey what is the outer "You"! It is more the inner "You" that I admire ... and keep coming back to. The one that laughs... jokes... and feels alive. Your child needs to feel free to continue to fly Sherry!

    Happy Easter... and Keep smilin'...

    Good Painting!
    Warmest regards,
    Bruce

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Bruce, I think winter might just about be finished with here as well. There is quite a bit of warmth in the sun now and it seems to be winning out.

    I like the new approach to the syrup theme. It's nice to see a view looking out from inside and to have a bit of life represented too. I'm looking forward to seeing how you finish it, although it's looking pretty good to me already.

    All the best,
    Keith

    ReplyDelete
  8. Happy Easter to you and your family Keith!... I thought of you this morning ... as I had my morning cup o' java down on the dock... watching the wonderful Easter sunrise. It surely left me with a feeling of renewal... and Resurrection! A perfect start for our Easter celebration with Bryn!

    I too... am pleased with the piece to this point... for the same reasons that you describe. I have since added the second chickadee... and am pleased to report... that it's still painterly! HA HA!! Hope that it ends up in that fashion. Hide the rigger Deb! HA HA!!!

    Thanks for dropping by and for leaving your encouragement Keith! Hope that Spring can maintain its impetus ... in both places!

    Good Painting!
    Warmest regards,
    Bruce

    ReplyDelete
  9. Nice photo of you painting as a kid. My first paint box I had to build it lol. Spring has definitley arrived here in Houston. In fact it's warm :) Have fun painting.

    ~Randall

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Randall!... Thank you for visiting!

    We all have a story that's unique in a way... but paradoxically so much the same in others!

    Hope that some of your Texan heat wends its way up into this part of the country! It will. Patience is the word!

    Painting is always fun!

    Good Painting to you!
    Warmest regards,
    Bruce

    ReplyDelete