I saw the photograph which was the inspiration for this painting in a magazine. I was drawn to the soft, dreamlike hues and long shadows and it made me think of Michaelmas, that time of year when nature is slowing down and preparing for a new beginning in the spring. As D H Lawrence’s poem, Bavarian Gentians puts it so beautifully, “soft September, slow, sad Michaelmas”. Michaelmas, or the Christian Feast of St Michael ( the Archangel who wages war against evil) and All Angels, falls on September 29th in the western calendar and November 8th in easter traditions. At one time, Old Michaelmas was celebrated on October 10th. Following harvest, it marked the ending and new beginning of the farming calendar, it was the time when hirings took place, goose was eaten and this, as with several other customs, has been transferred to Christmas. In the Hebrides, a special bannock was baked in remembrance of absent friends and those who had died. On the Isle of Skye, a procession was held. One of the few flowers left at that time of year was the Michaelmas daisy, (a special favourite of mine), hence the rhyme, “The Michaelmas daisies among dead weeds bloom for St Michael’s valorous deeds”. With all this in mind, I enjoyed creating the misty atmosphere of this picture with thoughts of trees and all of nature resting through the long, dark winter ready to burst forth again in the spring. The path through the trees suggests an afternoon walk as the shadows are lengthening.

We have had an unusually warm summer, so our outings during the school holidays have been a great success. The trip to Cruden Bay was, dare I say it, too hot, but the lovely cafe has wonderfully inspiring seascapes. The weather wasn’t quite so kind the day of the Fyvie Castle outing, but it was another time for some socialising in beautiful surroundings, with a little bit of sketching thrown in. Our final visit, to the Van Gogh Experience at the Exhibition Centre was thoroughly enjoyed by a dozen or so members, setting us up for some inspirational ideas when sessions resume in two weeks time.