The sudden wind of autumn shakes the leaves free from trees.
Those of you who have felt the wind tossing your hair, and lifting your scarf, and stirring an indescribable feeling in your chest, I think you already know this painting because you’ve lived it.
The air shifts from the warmth of late summer and a chilly gust of wind reminds us that change is upon us. This is the moment I have captured in Sudden Autumn Wind – Bourrasque d’automne, a textured painting completed after many years of sitting in a box in a dark closet.
Abstract and expressionistic art.
Certainly, this painting conveys its message in other ways than photorealism.
Instead, it relies on texture and tactility to reinforce the idea that the wind has the leaves dancing in the wind.
Thick strokes of paint along the birch trees feel sculptural while the collaged and impasto leaves make the surface come alive with movement.
The palette contributes to the feel of the painting.
The emphasis is on ochres, deep reds, bright yellows swirling together, imitating the motion of gusts of wind. Can you hear the brittle leaves tumbling into the blanket of foliage on the ground?
The feeling I wanted to stir in the viewer with Sudden Autumn Wind is that of the fleeting moments when everything seems in motion. The quick jolt, the last hurrah of autumn as nature truly lets go of all the warmth before arctic air sets in over the area.
And so, with Sudden Autumn Wind – Bourrasque d’automne, I invite the viewer to run a hand across the surface and feel the textured leaves, the edges of collaged foliage and embrace the rhythm of change that has been embedded in each layer.
I hope the painting reminds the viewer that beauty is fleeting, and it exists in the moment between the present time and what comes next.
To see other fall themed paintings see October's Party is Over, Want to Doodle? Join Me - for a Fall Walk.
A very nice piece Louise. The painting and the words are most evocative of the season.
Thank you Vivienne.
Dear Louise, what a great picture of autumnal landscape!!! I can sense the cool breeze and the lower temperatures of autumnal weather. Especially I love how you created the bark of birch trees. Simply wonderful.
This one took years to finish. I didn’t like the under layers so I kept it hidden in a box. Then, lately, I thought maybe I can finish it somehow. Now that it is varnished, I will not be touching it again. Thanks for stopping by Birgit.
Hi Louise, what a poetic description of your painting which is gorgeous by the way. Rather than Autumn winds we have been having Spring wind for the past two months, it is driving us crazy, normally we get a couple of weeks during October, but not this year…grrr.
I really like windy days. At our other house, the wind brought us a gift one year: a Pinky Winky Hydrangea seed that planted itself in a perfect spot and we left it there. When we moved, it was about three feet tall. None of my neighbours had that type of hydrangea so it must have come from further away. One more reason to look forward to windy days! Have a great week Sally.