Stinkin Tree Watercolor Studies

Early studies 1 & 2

About two months ago before the leaves arrived I spent alot of time
painting tree compositions.  So much so my two boys soon grew tired of the subject matter.  They called them "My Stinkin' Trees"  thus the name for this series of which I show a few here.

Wherever I looked I saw intriguing possibilities to study figure ground, the upward sweep of tree branches yearning for the sun's warmth.  Last year I spent a great deal of time sketching tiny pencil drawings in my Moleskin sketchbook which percolated for almost a year until one I needed to explore what I was walking by everyday and taking pictures of with my camera.  Call it an obsession or call it looking closely and learning to love what surrounds us.

Thus began a number of watercolor interpretations of natural and arranged scenes from the woods out behind our house to traveling on snow covered back roads in the hills around Montpelier.  I studied various color combinations with this work, along with gradations and various techniques involving intermingling of more sedimentary colors such as burnt sienna or prussian blue with transparent ones like cobalt blue for example.  Click on the individual images and zoom in to see what I mean.

Blue Yellow Study

Each image was a meditative experience for me providing a medium by which I could relax in the evening when the kids had gone to bed or on the weekend during calmer times.  There's nothing more joyful than participating in the interaction of water + color on paper and reveling in  how each image is it's own unique experience while resonating to over arching exploration of branches, figural space and implied shapes battling with abstraction.

The green blue study reads more abstractly as a series of lines or tree trunks cleared branches which were well overhead as these were larger more mature growth with more expansive trunks.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy these.  More will follow from this series soon!

Green blue study

The Gift of Fall - Nature's Design

I walk alot and picked up these two leaves the other day. They caught my eye. One large leaf. One small. The large leaf is a cacaphony of variegated colors from summer green to autumnal reds and yellows. The small one more a dull reddish purple with hints of green. What I like is the organization of the leaf structure with primary veins descending to smaller sized capillaries. In both, there is a true sense of center and a parts to the whole relationship which is stunning.

The larger is more rambunctious. The smaller much more subtle. Take a look for yourself and tell me what you see and how these connect with you.

Workplace Design Thoughts - Part 2 of 2

Workplace Space Organization & Collaboration: Thoroughly examine work processes and interdependencies, workplace demographics, cultural attitudes and organizational preferences. Examine the continuum of open versus closed offices, collaborative workspaces and common areas. Gather information from users and team leaders, provide presentations to educate users about alternative workplace spatial organizations and how different ways of working, teaming and interacting increase effectiveness.

Consider LEED or other Third Party Rating System Usage: Select a LEED Rating Systems or another system more appropriate to the project type to assist in measuring project performance against environmental design goals. Doing so reinforces organizational and project specific environmental, social, financial goals and objectives. Helps create a common roadmap with benchmarks to identify and reach. (Do this whether or not going ahead with certification.)

Establish a Design Brief: As an outcome of the design charette and early goal setting, establish together as a team the project design brief and design intent early in the process. The Brief should reinforce overarching project strategic values, goals and objectives. And revisit the Brief again at beginnings of each successive phase of work for continuing resonance to core values. create a simple statement summarizing the best intentions of the project. Keep it simple and flexible and it will help everyone stay on focus throughout the project life.

Integrated Design Thinking/ Action: Think and act collaboratively in an integrative and inclusionary manner rather than sticking to tried and true rules of thumb and silos of disconnected expertise. Encourage client staff and key stakeholder participation in the process to support design team efforts and increase organizational acceptance.

Living Systems & Art Integration: Examine key natural systems and regional ecologies for adaptability in exterior and interior applications such as living walls, planted areas and water features. Integrate with critical thinking art / environmental design strategy and building design to reinforce corporate values and principles.