Thursday Challenge: Autumn -

"Stubbled Fields"
digitally manipulated photograph by Mick Mather

"... now if the harvest is over,
and the world cold,
give me the bonus of laughter,
as I lose hold..."
- John Betjeman

Dim and darker days -

"Dusk of Autumn"
digitally manipulated fractal flame & digital drawing by Mick Mather

"... it was one of those perfect autumnal days
which occur more frequently in memory than in life ..."
- P. D. James

Changes -

"Considering a Change to an Autumn Plaid"
digital collage by Mick Mather

"... no tartan socks, ‘kay?
Now that would be an unforgivable crime of fashion …"
- The Fashion Police

Closing in on the equinox -

"Kissed by the Morning Sun"
digital collage by Mick Mather

Some of us are beginning to feel the ping of changing seasons. In this image, the scant sunshine of a new day is a metaphor that stands in for the shortening day while the looming darkness below is a portent of the long dark time ... winter.

Autumn leaves are falling -

"Study for an Autumn Construction"
manipulated digital drawing by Mick Mather

There's a wealth of natural detritus spread along a footpath, a wooded trail, an unpaved access road, a slope, a hill and a few depressions not far from my front door. A few of these locations, as I've been quietly walking them, have begun to whisper their own ideas upon the wind. Mixed with my own, hazy details begin to take form and now this study. The piece is an intended cube that will be a square yard in size and comprised of natural materials, including the colorful leaves of Autumn as they appear, all knit together in layers or as a basket or, who knows. I'll document the piece when it's been built ... sometime within the next 2 months I should imagine. Wait for it!

Rain, rain, go away -

"Leighlund's Cairn - Another View"
stacked stone sculpture by Mick Mather

The introduction, "rain, rain, go away", is for Susupetal ... most of us who have the privilege to know her understand that she dislikes the coming of the Finnish Autumn, fraught with fog and gloom and rain. But I digress. We've had an extraordinarily wet, cool summer in this part of the world too. Lately, that fact has included a lot more rain - pushed north and east by the hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico - that filled this little creek next to Leighlund's house. I took my camera over there yesterday to document the possible destruction of the piece but was rewarded with a perfectly brilliant, sunny day with our little cairn proudly standing its ground and diverting the stream. Next step will be to document the winds of autumn and the falling leaves that might just bury this little stand of stone.

Thursday Challenge: Fun -

"Niece & Nephew, Autumn 1999"
digitally manipulated photograph by Mick Mather

Fun is the theme at Thursday Challenge this week, with the usual sub-topics, one of which is family. A decade ago, when I lived further out and closer to real countryside living, one of our fun, family things was going for a walk. Rain or shine, winter or summer. On this particular day we enjoyed a brilliant autumn day that seemed, then as now, perfect for the activity.

Another something old -

"Receiving Line Seats"
digital collage by Mick Mather

It's funny how the images that you research and review over the course of a morning, an afternoon, a day, a week or a month will stick in the subconscious and lead you to a similar color palette in your own work. For one reason and another, I've been immersed in looking at the colors of autumn, in particular is this stunning manipulated photograph by Jeff Clow. To be fair, I've also been looking at a lot more landscapes although I'm not really sure why. Perhaps just to soothe the eye as we transition between seasons here in the Central Region of New York State. Tonight's post, residing on the other side of a seasonal transition - from winter to spring - contains a lot of the same soft, warm and comforting hues...and the world keeps goin' 'round.

A tribute to the Finnish Sisters -

"Finnish Cottage in the Circle of Darkness"
$50 Unframed - LUCAS GALLERY
digital collage by Mick Mather

Tonight's post, as the introduction implies, is a tribute to all of the Finnish Sisters who often leave comments here at my blog and I at theirs. This really came about over recent conversations about the approach of autumn and, more at, the season to follow! The winters are long and dark in Finland. I know this for the Sisters have told me so. Since I'm not such a big fan of the long dark during these months either, this image is created for all of us. I've gone a step further for those who might be interested - at No Matther What Shape - The Archive I've put up four (4) of the working images that make up the layers in this piece. A short, basic tutorial is also there ... I tell you what I did as the piece was developed if not exactly how I did it. That sort of step-by-step would've taken another whole blog! So, to all of my good friends close to the Arctic Circle who will soon see too many months of darkness, I salute you!

Thursday Challenge: Autumn -

"One Early Autumn Day"
$50 Unframed - LUCAS GALLERY
digitally manipulated photograph by Mick Mather

A relatively simple theme at Thursday Challenge this week, autumn, with hundreds of ideas and directions to take. Oddly enough, I happened to be out with the camera during the very first few days of Autumn this year. I eat lunch, as often as I'm able, in this little park Downtown in the Armory Square District where this photograph was taken. Gosh! Look at the time! Lunch! :D