Dreaming of Spring

My Valentines

Inspired by Valentine's Day, I created some images especially for the holiday. Heart shaped leaves, roses, peonies, strands of heart... Soft, airy, colorful and sweet. These cards and much more are for sale at my Etsy online store.

My Valentines

Living Light: A Celebration of the Finger Lakes Flora

Above is my photograph, Wake Robin that will be hanging in the juried group exhibition, Living Light: A Celebration of the Finger Lakes Flora. Please read below to learn more about the show.

In the cold, gray months of an upstate winter, it can be heartening to recall nature's more abundant and colorful times of the year. A welcome reminder of this comes in the form of a new art exhibit, Living Light: A Celebration of the Finger Lakes Flora. Hosted at the Tompkins County Public Library from January 18 through March 26 and organized by the Finger Lakes Native Plant Society (FLNPS), this juried art show celebrates the beauty and diversity of our region's wild plants and fungi. Fifty artists from throughout the Finger Lakes and beyond have contributed over 75 works in a wide array of media and styles, ranging from traditional botanical illustration and wildflower photography to more abstract treatments and sculptural forms. The show's opening reception will be held at the Library from 4 to 7pm on Friday, January 22 as part of Ithaca’s Gallery Night, in conjunction with the Light in Winter festival. And for those interested in a more in-depth experience of plants and art, FLNPS has designed a constellation of workshops, walks, and educational displays. The exhibit and associated events are co-sponsored by the Library, with grant support from the Community Arts Partnership and the Brooks Family Foundation. The art show was juried by a panel consisting of several FLNPS members and three prominent local artists: Camille Doucet, watercolorist and botanical illustrator; Eric Serritella, ceramic artist; and David Watkins, photographer. They, along with three professional botanists, had the complex task of screening and evaluating over 300 submissions. Founded in Ithaca in 1997, FLNPS's mission is to teach people about native plants, the importance of conservation, and the threat of invasive species. The group regularly sponsors free lectures, field trips and special events. For more information about the exhibit and its related events, visit www.flnps.org/artshow. To find out about other FLNPS lectures and plant walks, visit www.flnps.org or call 607-257-4853. More information about all events at the Tompkins County Public Library, as well as library hours, can be found at www.tcpl.org or by calling 607-272-4557. Individual artworks in the Living Light graphic (above) are copyrighted by and used courtesy of their respective creators, all artists participating in the Living Lightexhibition. They are, clockwise from top left: Bridget Bossart van Otterloo, Susan Larkin, Margaret Neher, William Bay, David Ruppert, and Donald Specker.

Winter Landscape

Pallets of blues, grays, and warm neutrals. Winter is the season of looking inward. The days are so short. We are told we need to sit still for a moment and reflect. Winter takes the most motivation to go out exploring with the camera. Too many layers to wear, too heavy boots, too thick gloves and the camera needs to be somewhere in between all the layers so that my body heat can keep the battery happy... but once I am out and moving the cold air makes me feel so alive. It is refreshing and energizing. I can go deeper into the woods. The light is brighter. The most fascinating things happen wherever there is water meeting freezing temps. The canvas is closer to blank. Simplified. Truly a different world.

Jim SchugTrail

October Garden

My parent's garden in south Jersey. A row of flowers for the border- Cosmos, Zinnia, and Mole Beans.

Elegant branches of a Dogwood tree.

A pack of Snow Pansies from our favorite farm market. These came back to NY with me.

An arrangement I made for my parents out of their flowers. I loved the colors of the hydrangeas- lime, turquoise, and a blush of purple. I found the ball mason jar in the basement. I had never seen one in an aqua color, and I liked how it made the orange colors pop.