Autumn in... almost Spring!

         Here is the last of my season fairies, finished.  The autumn fairy is busy with harvesting and preparing for winter, while glorying in the warmth and color of fall (while I am most certainly not ready to skip straight over spring and summer!).  All of my other critters in the series have been based on local flora and fauna for which I have particular seasonal affections, but I indulged in a little more creative license for this one.  Although red squirrels are common not three miles away from my house, I have only ever seen a couple in my yard.  My neighbors are the ordinary, larger, Eastern gray squirrels (and the chipmunks).  A red squirrel seemed more appropriate than the gray, however, as being smaller and a more autumnal color suitable for printing in the same ink as the other ruddy browns I wanted for the first layer of this reduction print.  Moreover, this fairy is actually based not on the American red squirrel, but the Eurasian red squirrel, which of course is not a personal acquaintance of mine at all.  The Eurasian species is even more petite, and has the wonderful tufted ears, making it yet more elfin.  The wings are white oak, as is the acorn, and I had hoped to include some birch leaves on the branch, but couldn’t get them to fit into the composition.  Like “spring,” the top layer of ink is dark brown rather than pure black.  Unlike “spring,” however, the printing of this piece went relatively smoothly, I’m happy to report.

        The set of four seasons will be shown, along with several other pieces, in the next group show at Gallery Twist in Lexington.  Impressions VI is their annual show focussing on printmaking, and will be open from April 16-May 12, both on-line and in-person.

        While I’m on the topic of upcoming events, having had reasonable success with the unprecedented on-line Rapid-Fire Reading last month, we’ve decided to try some more.  Coming up through the month of March will be 5 events, scheduled for different days and times, and with different line-ups of readers.  This is a data-gathering month, so we’d love to have not only your company, but also your feedback on what seems best to you.  The first reading is THIS THURSDAY, March 11, at 7:00pm EST.

[Pictures: Autumn Fairy (Oaky Nutkin), rubber reduction print, AEGN 2021;

Details of carving and printing the first layer, AEGN, 2021.]