The Fall around here quickens your pace, the season calls for it, get stuff done before the snow falls. For me it is that and so much more. I have to feed my senses with as much color as possible before it all goes blank white, blue and grey. Even the color brown is stolen during those bleak months of winter. Every thing is cold and shadowy, so I have to introduce warmth and light.

All of these photos are reference photos, color references to look at when I am painting during the winter months, a boost to the senses when I need to see something that took up and grabbed my attention when I photographed it. Evey bit of color grabs me to look and see the nuance of how it all works together to get my attention. No color just stands alone on its own, all of them act upon each other. We see 30,000 tints, tones and shades of the color green. Just think of all the different colors you really do see when you add the whole color wheel.

Out of all the different courses I have taught over the years my favorite has always been color theory. I applied as much science to the lessons as I did with the creative art side of color theory. We made art but we also did science experiments and the kids had fun as they learned, hands on fun. It was a joy to teach this and to pass on the knowledge to these kids. I know many will remember this class and many will remember many of the lessons learned. They will now lead a more colorful life I hope.

So when Fall comes around I have to look closely at it all to catch subtle colors that will spark my paintings with notes of color that spark the viewer to look deeper at all the notes. Each day is different for color now, big and small changes with each moment of light creating those differences makes me look out all the time, even during work I am looking off and then shooting things. The complexity and mood changes come by the minute. I could stop working and walk and look all day long if I could.

But work calls and I must obey, at least most of the time, but not always. A walk is too powerful to avoid during the Fall season. Go take as many as you can.

We go through life looking at the big picture, the vast scenery of it all and many times lose sight of the notes. The small notes are starting and you need to go and see them as they change.

Snow's a comin' soon.