Avalonia eTrails

By Beth Sullivan

We are coming into a beautiful time of year-I guess every time has a special beauty, but the changing colors of late summer into early fall are inspiring. Meadows are showing golds and pinks of the taller meadow flowers; grasses wave. The woodlands are beginning to show different hues of green, more varied, deeper.

Expanses of salt marsh are absolutely the most beautiful as the salt marsh grasses settle into swirls and swaths of colors as seeds form. Soon the edges, the coastal woodlands, will begin to show the first colors in the Black Gum trees whose leaves go red early in the season.

Detail in leaves and tendrils need close inspection.

An artist’s eye does not always go just to the large view of the landscape. It is also a time to look closely. Insects are phenomenal at this time of year. They may not sit still for portraits, but a camera can catch them in an instant!

There is great beauty in the detail of an insects's body.

Birds have fledged, many are gathering, preparing for the changing season. Many young are still learning the ropes from parents, and the osprey are still returning to nest sites. Soon they will leave.

A path in the grass can illustrate perspective. 

So now, while the light is clear and crisp, the colors are brightest in the angles of the sun, get outdoors. Take your camera, a sketch book, a paint box and an easel. Get close or take the distant view. Pay attention to what you see. Get into the story of the scene before you whether it is a far horizon, a single standing tree, or the center of a flower.

AND…when you have something…share it!

A lone sentinel tree is a focal point.

Avalonia is hosting its second annual Art of Conservation event on October 24. We are looking for art donations for both the Silent and Live Auctions. Contributing artists will get a ticket to the event at the Mystic Art Association, which was truly a lovely affair last year.

We are welcoming a broader range of art this year, to include sculpture, quality nature crafts, fabric art, jewelry as well as photography, prints and cards, and of course, original paintings. If you happen to have a lovely piece of nature themed art, not of your own creation, but want to donate for the event, we welcome that as well.

Seed pods and grasses are a study in  texture.

Applications on the Avalonia website

You can go to the website to download an application or contact the Avalonia office by phone or email for more information.

Sunsets at this time of year ware waiting to be painted.

It is beautiful out there….now head out, enjoy and create and then share with us! Your donation will help Avalonia in its mission to acquire and preserve land in Southeastern CT-places we share with you!

Photographs by Beth Sullivan