This lovely little stand of pines is located in a park not far from my home. One of the joys of my daily walks is listening to its music throughout the seasons. When you stand still next to the majestic evergreens, the wind's beautiful song through the gracefully swaying branches becomes audible in the otherwise quiet moment.

"the pines seem to me the best interpreters of winds. They are mighty waving golden-rods, ever in tune, singing and writing wind-music all their long century lives. "

- John Muir

A trio of scotch pines stands just beyond a small knoll. Their golden green, slender needles are enchanting as they whisper in the wind. To be amongst them when they are all a flutter is to know the "mysterious voice with which the forest speaks to us" (W.H. Hudson)

I've often found there is a beautiful hush the morning after a snowfall. It's as if the world is wrapped in a thick, white wool blanket.  

Looking at this little grouping of trees, their arrangement reminded me of a family portrait. The example of community is so naturally evident amongst trees.

Scientists have suggested that trees in the forest community work to help each other over generations. In his book "The Hidden Life of Trees," Peter Wohlleben shares his discoveries that neighbouring trees communicate with each other for mutual benefit.

Trees stand together - what a powerful message for these times.

The conifer's announcement of springs' arrival is lost amongst the more shouty notifications of the flowering and leafing out of the deciduous trees. Tender green tips barely whisper the arrival of the fresh new season. They are the quiet conversation, the subtle background to the riot that is spring.

The title for this image had fixed itself in my mind even as I stood in the golden field taking the first blurry images. The melody of the popular cover song written by Sting had already begun to gently play.

"You'll remember me when the west wind moves
Upon the fields of barley
You can tell the sun in his jealous sky
When we walked in fields of gold."

Sting has spoken of the inspiration for the song:
"In England, our house is surrounded by barley fields, and in the summer, it's fascinating to watch the wind moving over the shimmering surface, like waves on an ocean of gold. There's something inherently sexy about the sight, something primal as if the wind were making love to the barley. Lovers have made promises here, I'm sure, their bonds strengthened by the comforting cycle of the seasons."

The softer more muted colours of this piece are a subtle reminder that sometimes a peaceful, quiet presence can empower us with just as much soul filling energy as those who are more noticeably vibrant.

"Somewhere down the way, there's a hidden place that anyone
That all of us could find
But our maps have failed, so venture through the veil and realize
That these roads are intertwined"

- Thrice
Lyrics Beyond the Pines

Sometimes a natural flow, an invisible force, seems to be at work. Gently nudging us towards something more deeply authentic. 

This was the first piece created for this collection and was the first to emerge from a new, less restrictive approach to my art-making.  Like many before, the image began as an intentionally blurred photo taken on a recent walk through nearby woods. Layered onto this beginning are my own favourite digital darkroom recipes. The final result being the full artistic expression of this moment found in nature. I often feel as if nature's unnoticed beauty is simply waiting for me to discover it hidden in plain sight. Sometimes it requires all of my digital tools to find its full expression - other times, it requires none. 

Either way - I am happy to share this small expression of my experience, hoping that it will bring joy to those it resonates with.

I've mostly considered winter to be a white and grey affair... but lately, on closer inspection, I've discovered a veritable rainbow of colour out there. As the sun streamed through the trees, it was difficult to miss the vibrant beauty.

Both this image and its sister EMBRACING WINTER SUNBEAMS II have a more painterly feel to them. This is likely inspired by some of my favourite Canadian landscape scenes painted by the Group of Seven and Tom Thompson.

This is a slightly different crop from the first and places the glades' edge marginally lower in the composition. By allowing a bit more bright sky to enter the frame, I hoped the detail of the shadows in the snow would become more noticeable. The warm colours in the tree bark play a nice contrast to the cool shadows on the snow.

Both this image and its sister EMBRACING WINTER SUNBEAMS I have a more painterly feel to them. This is likely inspired by some of my favourite Canadian landscape scenes painted by the Group of Seven and Tom Thompson.