Imagining

When I left the big house, I was able to bring the art work I'd collected over a lifetime. Each one means so much to me – the cedar sandpiper by an Ocracoke woodcarver. My own fiber sculptures. A delicate watercolor by Jean Dean.

My favorite painting is 'White Autumn' by Robert York. Its subtlety suggests imminent snowfall yet summer's hues are still present. They compete with the intricate patterns of bare black branches and naked stone. Seasonal green is insistent but no longer dominant, while sky blue remains constant. Sunshine is dappled; the wind is crisp.

I imagine sparrows, their feathers puffed for warmth. I recall the taste of snowflakes and the scent of wood smoke. The artist evokes these sensations with the simplest of line and layers of pure, clear color.

I loved to watch him work.