Paper Birch and Baby Hazelnuts

Walking through the woods is sensory overload.  Birds chirping, leaves underfoot crunching, the smell of pines and moss, the infinite palette of colors- it makes painting in the woods a bit overwhelming. In my search to simplify, I decided to paint something, well, simple! I potted this birch tree close to the bank of a river. I set up my easel and actually sat in the crook of another tree on the path. I love how the birch bark peeled around the tree almost begging to be peeled. Don't worry, I didn't peel it! I just admired and painted!