trees

Ready for Release

| drawandshoot

I had a chance to visit with the wrapped trees today. I thought they might be released from their winter trappings, but no. Surely, it must be well past time. The little trees are trying to fight their way out with the aid of the prevailing winds. They are ready to feel the sun and the rain on their restrained boughs. There are bits of green popping out.

I brought a little sun-shower with me but it’s not enough. The earth is cracked and dry.


Some of them are looking rather defeated. Who will come and start the unraveling?









*All these trees are as I have found them, along the highway and wrapped for the harsh winter. I have been documenting them through the seasons and you can find the whole series here.
All images © Karen McRae

Pursuading Order

| drawandshoot

There are times when I really notice order. I admit it’s not usually when I’m looking around my house.
It becomes particularly apparent when I’m looking through the camera lens. In a sense I’m always drawn to order even though I don’t always practice it. I like looking at it, I appreciate carefulness and am also drawn to certain repetition and routine. I relish the quiet rhythms of movement in yoga and climbing or cycling and even walking across the earth. I suppose these kinds of order are like a meditation. A way of centreing oneself in an often uncontrollable world. I realize making images is part of this for me. You might be surprised at the number of times I rearrange them on these pages. Thinking about how one image flows to the next or how your eye is drawn through the series.
It makes me think about the sense of order demonstrated by others when I happen across it. Perfectly lined up trees, immaculate summer lawns, thoughtful gardens or carefully placed tools of industry. And then there are natures own brilliant repetitions of shapes, showing up over and over again. There is a comfort in that order.
I like to think I tread lightly on the earth. It may not be so, but when I tread I am always appreciating the natural order that is underfoot, and trying myself to persuade just a little into existence.








A Snow Canvas

| drawandshoot

An old and graceful Weeping Willow in the snowfall.

I came across this winter garden when I was out working on an architectural project. Different shapes and forms against a snow canvas. Even grey-furred pussy willows, an early sign of spring!






All images © Karen McRae

Grateful

| drawandshoot

I’ve been genuinely surprised and thrilled by the amount of interest in the wrapped trees series and I wanted to thank the following blogs and bloggers for featuring the images and re-posting them. Their sites are well worth exploring so please check them out.

Cath at Blanket and Bone has the following description for her blog “Celebrating the handmade, the artisanal, and the unique”  She asked me a few questions about my work in general and the series specifically which you can find here.

Writer and artist David Halliday from the powerofh blog did a post on the first series of wrapped trees here . I love David’s description of why he started blogging “… to offset my muttering in public places.” He has several blogs on the go and creates some fascinating stories and collages along with featuring many other artists.

As a writer he added an interesting perspective on his impression of the series. These are David’s words: “It as if we have seen these images a million times. Peasants in Van Gogh’s paintings. Women at mass. Mourners at a funeral. Victims waiting to be executed. They seem to have the weight of the moment on their shoulders. As if they bare the sadness of the world”

Many thanks to you both Cath and David. Also thanks to WordPress who featured my blog on Freshly Pressed I have connected with many creative and interesting new blogs and bloggers. I’m trying to keep up with everything!

A Quiet Storm

| drawandshoot

More Pictures from Friday’s perfect storm. I warned you we liked to talk about the weather…








The sailboat docks in the frozen harbour.

I brought along an umbrella to protect my camera from the snow somewhat, it was an umbrella failure in the swirling winds. Sharp umbrella skeleton bits poking out every which way. I have yet to find a decent umbrella that can stand up to a bit of wind.
(Click on images to enlarge)
All images © Karen McRae

Winter Wrapped Trees

| drawandshoot


For some reason, this image just breaks my heart. The harshness of Winter.

I have been here in the past. It was before the snow fell, before the cold really settled in. If you missed the first visit you can find it here. I’m fascinated by the figurative nature of these wrapped trees and how they can be interpreted in different ways. The way they relate to each other. The changes taking place through the seasons. The conversations.










All images © Karen McRae