October 26, 2010: "Autumn Allegory"

I was discussing the change of season with my good friend Lauren, and we wondered why fall seems a little bittersweet in all its glorious colors.   I think that autumn waits. This scene in Galena, Ohio, intrigued me with its complete calm. No breeze ruffled the tree tops, and the water's surface was motionless. Drivers roared and rattled in their vehicles behind me, bent on making good time for their next destination. But autumn was winning the race, moving silently forward in the stillness. Splashing russets against sky, this annual show astonishes me yearly as I drive along roads I thought were familiar.   I'm reminded of our son Jeremy, then only a toddler, who asked of autumn's falling leaves: "Does this happen every year at this time?" As an artist, I try to remember that childlike wonder about the nature of time.   "Autumn Allegory", 27 x 39, oil on canvas, is currently part of a group show, "Trees," at Marcia Evans Gallery, 8 East Lincoln St, Short North Arts District, Columbus. 614-298-8847.