Winter Lock Down Walks

28 Jan

24/01/21

One of the silver linings of the pandemic for me has definitely been more time for daily walks. Discovering new places near my home and having the chance to stop and notice the small details and fleeting moments, has made me more in tune with my immediate surroundings and has given me a renewed appreciation for where I live. Walking outside nearly everyday for the last year has also made me more in tune with the rythumns of nature and the seasonal cycles that always continue and come full circle. I have started to notice that each day is now brining more light and this brings with it a sense of hope and renewal, especially as we navigate these times.

There is so much beauty in the landscape at this time of year if you look closely from icy cracked puddles, frost sparkling on frozen leaves, delicate seed-heads silhouetted against the sky, birds flying in formation overhead and eerie mists hovering over still creeks resulting in breath taking reflections.

I take photographs as a way of staying present, an exercise in seeing and appreciating the reality of the moment and tuning into the beauty of what I am experiencing. I never directly reference photos in the studio, but find that there is often an alignment between what I paint and what I choose to photograph.

If the state of our world right now feels like a bit much to cope with, wrap up, head outdoors and take a moment to appreciate the small and simple things.