The Autumnal Equinox Is Sneaking Up On Us!

It's the first day of Autumn in the Northern Hemisphere!  It's also around 90 degrees out right now - sounds like it's still summer to me!  We do still have a few Monarchs lingering here in our pastures.  There's been a couple days of 30mph winds from the south and east so butterfly migration is a bit difficult at the moment.

Our Barn Swallows left last weekend, along with our last Baltimore Oriole and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds.  They could easily have stuck around for this temperature!

"Tree Swallow - Portrait"

color pencil drawing - © Bruce A. Morrison

Although our Tree Swallows left a couple weeks back, I had been meaning to find the time to sit down and do one of these guys as part of my "Bird Portrait" series.  These are one of my spring and summer favorites around the pasture - probably one of the friendliest birds here.  The first to make a bee-line for the Bluebird houses in the pasture, but that's OK, we'll share with them and still get a Bluebird family or two nesting here as well.  I struggled to get a hint of the iridescence in the color of these bird's feathers, They really are quite beautiful up close!

There are leaves and crops showing that hint of Autumn out there; the nights have been great for sleeping - also for the Katydids and Crickets, the Coyotes and neighborhood Great Horned Owls - all have been serenading us each night and we LOVE it!

 "Nearly September"

from the original plein air oil painting - © Bruce A. Morrison

Been spending much time here preparing for the 14th Artisans Road Trip - this year on Saturday and Sunday October 14th and 15th.  Along with my usual new paintings, drawings and photographs, this year I am doing something a bit new - I will be offering reproductions of paintings printed on canvas, hand varnished by the artist and framed in a choice plein air frame - like the original painting at framed print prices! These 'jewels" have to be seen - a few choice paintings available - just vibrant! Above and below are some examples!

"Behind the Grove"

from the original plein air oil painting - © Bruce A. Morrison

"Lone Bale at First Light"

from the original plein air oil painting - © Bruce A. Morrison

This will be our last year participating in the Artisans Road Trip. I have been a part of this great organization of artists since the beginning in 2004 and have appreciated the quality of artwork and professionalism this great group has represented itself with! I have been the organization's web master and social media person for 14 years and it is now time for me to make a change - at least for now; if sometime down the road I feel a need to rejoin A.R.T. as a regular member I certainly will.

So! This will be your last chance to visit Prairie Hill Farm and our studio "for the Artisans Road Trip"! BUT NOT for any other visit - we will still be here and I will still be working as an artist!

I am taking this time to work more toward building a new body of work. There comes a time in many an artist's life that we need to step back and start anew. I am taking somewhat of a hiatus from "producing sales" to producing work that compels and draws me to it...maybe I'm getting a bit old and set in my ways but life is too short for pursuing any goal other than a feeling of accomplishing something important to one's "self" and less for commissions and distractions. I am not stepping off the face of the earth or anything crazy like that; I will still be out here on the prairie - working in the studio when the urge moves me, walking in the prairie when I need time with God's creation or maybe actually going somewhere for a fresh experience or just time away! Like I said - life is too short!

Enjoy your time on this earth - get out and have a great Autumn!