You don’t have to go far to experience beauty

In my case, it is just across the street. It was too hot to bike ride today. Besides, I didn’t feel steady enough so I took a hike down my road to my neighbor’s drive.

I followed his road across the first field to the tunnel made by trees crossing a small creek, then up the hill to be greeted by fields of sunflowers all bright yellow facing me as if they were thousands of yellow, happy faces.

I really enjoyed this big splash of color that extended for several fields, up over the horizon to a beautiful lake the owner had made several years ago. Usually I would use the term pond but the water area was much larger and visually it was more of a small lake all bright blue highlighted by the yellow of the sunflowers.

The owner had cut a wide path that followed the shore but left the small trees and wildflowers growing along the lake’s border.

I was trying out a new camera with a wide angle lens so I could get more into each picture. I circled the lake, all the while shooting everything of interest: flowers, trees, shore and a stand of cattails on its north border. The water was very much a reflective mirror, no wind and lots of sun.

I also saw a barn off to the north and captured the barn in its decay which made it very interesting as a part of history being reclaimed by nature. I figure that I will paint parts of it and include it in some of my mostly sky pictures.

After circling the lake, I was getting tired so I started for home. I went down the hill and through the tunnel of trees and I could just see a little of my home when I stopped and took my final pictures. I stood there awhile enjoying a cool breeze then slowly headed home.

This hike was on a Tuesday. That Thursday, in one of the senior classes I teach, I gave a painting demonstration of a view of the bright yellow sunflowers with the contrasting dead tree behind them.

The class loved the contrast of the living color and the dead, gray tree. I took pictures of it as I painted.

Now at home I will be painting in more details, but I still want it to have that loose, free feeling that I started out with.

Weather permitting, I hope to take more late summer and fall pictures and maybe actually do a painting while I am there.

I have picked out a great shade tree on the east side of my neighbor’s lake. I feel very fortunate to have so many beautiful places to paint, and I don’t need a car to get there.

Harry Croghan is an artist, photographer, writer and teacher. You can send comments to croghan@dragonbbs.com or call (740) 852-4906.