Angie Rogers Artist

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Connecting you to Landscape, Nature and The Wild.

Still A Glow In The Embers.

Hello friends,

Thomas Hood has a lot to answer for with all his Nos in that poem about November*.
I prefer to think of it as Yesvember because yes, there are good things about November, you just have to notice them.

Maybe you tend to view November as the absolute end of Autumnal colour? Yet here in the Yorkshire Pennines there remains vibrancy within the fading landscape, like the orange glow of heat in the blackening embers of a fire.

This photo was taken at the very start of November and the parked-up red van fitted into the colour scheme perfectly. Since then the wind and rain have gracefully unclothed many of the trees. The gradual denuding of the branches is a beautiful process to observe. One storm though and it’ll be a different story.
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Fire

Those of us living in the northern hemisphere are naturally drawn to the warmth and glow of fire at this time of year. The allure of the hearthside.

And if a hearth isn’t available an evocative substitute such as fairy lights or a candle flame.
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This is my copy of The Country Child. I’ve had it most of my life after my Mum and Dad gave it to me for my Birthday. I was the same age as Susan the girl in the story, about 9 years old. Susan had to walk 4 miles to and from school every day through an ancient wood. The semi autobiographical novel recalls a late 19th century childhood on a hillside farm where life is focused on the natural world and the cycle of the seasons.

My Mum must have already noted how much I love Nature and she could not have chosen a more perfect gift. The beautiful illustrations are by C F Tunnicliffe RA and are I think wood engravings.

I've always been drawn to this image of pails of milk cooling in stone water troughs, it conveys so much information with such economy.

Looking back a long time now I can see how much positive influence I gained from owning and reading this book. The love of spending time outdoors, woodland, and savouring the subtle seasonal changes. And even when I was a rebellious teenager I had this to remind me that you didn't need to abandon all your childhood ideals just to fit in.
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Tiny Town Rekindled

These are the two alternative colour versions of Tiny Town I mentioned last time.

You can read a Journal post about the thinking behind my decisions for depicting winter colour in Hebden Bridge with a brief video of me rearranging the pieces for the fun of it.

And if you’re interested, the three variants are now all available in my website shop in the Woodcut Townscapes section.

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Bringing The Outside In, Out Again

Remember that moss I was considering liberating? Well I took it to an old and skilfully built dry stone wall in Lee wood.

Sometimes birds grubbing for food disturb the moss swathing the wall and create little bald patches, so I extracted the rescued sphagnum from its temporary glass home and settled it into one of those places. I hope it will take and If I can remember the spot, I’ll try to keep track of any progress.

Do you think, looking at things from the moss’s point of view, it was a case of alien abduction?

Plucked from its peaceful green life, transported to a weird environment full of flashing lights and beeps (why do modern kettles, hobs and washing machines have to be so obtrusive?), surrounded by bizarre beings and vibrations, fed monotonous liquid food and occasionally inspected by a cold and critical eye.

How that moss must’ve longed for the comforting familiarity of its woodland home. Maybe all the time it was on my kitchen windowsill there was a silent green scream I couldn’t hear? You can see how easy it is to let your imagination run away with you! It might sound odd, but I felt a kind of joy placing the green back into the green.

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Lambent

After dropping off some artwork parcels at the post office the other morning, before returning to my studio at Linden Mill, I had a quick trot along the canal and river, the back route avoiding the noisy main road.

It being a dull and damp day, I wasn’t expecting much in the way of beauty so what a delightful surprise to come across these leaves glowing apricot under the grey sky.

It’s easy to take your neighbourhood for granted and fail to look for or even see the seasons quietly getting along, things just being themselves, whether you notice or not. This little stretch of towpath ablaze with green gold scattering the black water.

Ripples

Thanks for all the positive feedback and I am delighted to have inspired a lovely supporter to visit my studio as well as an exchange of illuminating messages between Hebden Bridge and north Scotland.

Wishing you contemplative times for the remainder of November. It's my Birthday month so I am long used to making celebrations in the short misty days when you can appreciate the cosy glow of evening lights at home. Go outside for any glimmers of sunshine.

Finally, I can’t write this without acknowledging not everything that’s happened in November has been good. My much loved elder brother has died. He was a great supporter of this email and I feel very sad he will no longer read and appreciate my words. Make the most of every day, you won’t regret it.
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All the best
Angie
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* That poem titled November by Thomas Hood can be read here​

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