Composition in blue and gold

I remember the pull on the shoulders, arms, and back to pull the scoop through the grain.  The load had to shifted so it wouldn’t spill over the edge of the truck sides.  The grain flowed around your legs almost like a fluid, hampering your movements, and challenging your ballance.  It required determination and a fixed goal to face the dust and exertion of such a task, and I thought it a fitting metaphor for life in general.

The quiet gurgling of the water contrasts with the slurping sounds of boots pulling out of the mud, somewhere a bird chirps while the grays of dawn creep stealthily into full sunrise.

I like that every picture is a narrative bringing elements together because that’s how they are used.  I found this old juicer on a shelf in the pantry, and thought the story it held would be interesting.

I had lots of fun painting the textures and reflections in this composition, from the old copper tea pot with its ceramic handles, to the moist feeling of the peeled onion on the left, to the dusty, dry feeling of the outer skin of the larger onion on the right.  I kept the composition simple, using just three elements for a more pleasing effect.  I didn’t center the tea pot on the Golden Mean, but placed the largest reflection on the pot, the far part of the handle, and the stem of the smaller onion near it.  Enjoy!

A close neighbor passed away so the neighbors sponsored an auction to help his widow dispose of the machinery.  Groups would gather to swap stories about their friend before the auctioneer began in earnest.  $8400

Dad and I would go pitchin’ hay when it was ready.  The wagon was in motion and Dad watched with a half grin as I ran to jump on.  We worked hard and played hard. The fun was in working and playing together.  $2240

The kids were out exploring while I was cooking breakfast, and saw a beaver swimming down its channel.  Their excited shouts brought me running to see it too.  The beaver met us with an angry hiss that stopped us in our tracks until it swam from sight around a bend.  $ 8400

Watering the pasture invited the bum lambs to visit.  When a lamb is orphaned it becomes a “bum lamb” to be fed milk from a bottle (kid’s favorite chore).  The lambs imprint on humans and will follow them around like puppies.  Still, they know the voice of their shepherd, and will seek him out of a group.  Grandpa always had a following whenever he went into the pasture.   $12096