These pictures began to take shape on the way home from a family vacation to the Gulf Coast, when my sister sent me a photo via her phone, taken in transit, of hay in a field. I found great interest in the quality of the picture, with dark edges, blurred grass full of movement, a quick and simple snapshot of a familiar rural Alabama scene.

When I began creating the pieces, drawn outside in the newly-cool Fall air, I once again unconsciously intermingled my current state of being into the art. The brightened, more vibrant colors mixed with the darkening edges mirror my mood this week; happy, hopeful and full of rich life, with a bit of darkness lingering in the edges. The intermingling of Joy and Woe revisit my thoughts. I see a great contrast in life…the good and bad, the happy and sad, the rage and peace, the love and hatred, the energy and fatigue.

This new moment in my artistic journey of greater contrast, heavier color and darkened edges was a surprise to me…an unplanned development. The brightness darkening feels a bit ominous, like something is about to happen; like when you walk outside and know a storm is coming, when you can feel the pressure in the air. A heavy moment of stillness, a pause before the event begins.