Seeing the mist rolling in from the lake over the big dune,
coming closer, enveloping,
until finally, only feeling surrounded by grey.
Posts by Birgit Zipser
mist rolling in
Listening II
oil on board, 12 x 12 inches
Here is the companion to Listening I.
Two kinds of meditation – whirling and quiet. more… »
Clay and Lichen
A documentary on the progress of a layer of clay descending a dune
Oil on maple, 24 x 18 inches
For more than a decade, we have been watching a layer of clay slowly descending a slope of the Empire Bluff. Usually, the ‘necklace’ stands out as a vegetation-free band. But on a winter day, it was nicely accentuated by snow.
I have given up walking around this aspect of the bluff out of concern that there suddenly could be a slide of clay. Two decades ago, the north-western most tip of the dunes at Glenhaven caved in after I walked there with my dog. Since then, I have grown to respect the forces of nature here.
Wet Spring
A natural riverside park were I went to relax – a long time ago.
snow in the dunes
oil on maple panel, 40 cm x 50 cm
Improvised from a photograph this winter taken near Otter Creek in the Sleeping Bear Dunes.
Colors were mixed from Ultramarine blue, Manganese violet, Turner yellow, Chinese Lake, white and black. None of the mixtures displayed even the slighted hint of green.
Having gained some experience with choosing and mixing pigments, I consider, that a next, fruitful step in learning to be a better painter will be to follow Cennini‘s advice and practice drawing – daily.
