Rushing Wind of September

 This morning I heard the familiar song of September. The far view of my garden swing is a poplar tree that sounds like waves of the ocean when the wind hits the leaves. I know it is September because the leaves are already starting their dance and the sounds of the trees in the wind is so refreshing. I love this sound but I know the sound announces a change of pace and a change of season.  I feel as if I have indulged in an incredible luxury this summer. I took a pause in my teaching schedule to indulge in some study and personal pursuits. There was still work to do and to accomplish, but I was able to work at a slower pace. During this summer season I have been busily preparing courses notes and artwork for the fall and classes that will reach into 2026. I am so excited about upcoming study days, long term students, and new courses as well as teaching opportunities for some of my favourite classes. But the time of slowing down allowed me to work on skills and ideas that I am passionate about for my own growth whether or not they are ever turned into a future course. I have started a perpetual journal of the seasons where I can draw specimens from the garden at the same time each year. 

Getting back into a regular practice of drawing is something that I find so refreshing. I don't believe I will ever share the rough botanical  images in the journal, I just want to see what emerges on the page for my own eyes as I take note of the ever changing seasons. I want to truly know and notice the details that surround me. 

 Many hours have been spent in deep study and research. This might not sound like fun or an indulgent luxury, but I followed each interesting footnote of wonderful books and learned so much along the way. I have always had an aversion to making notes in my books, but I know that annotation can help so much with recall.  As I finished two William Morris biographies this summer, I began to annotate my books with small page flags. I found this process so engaging and really helpful for me to interact with the book.

The down side is that the process takes time. The annotations lead to research after the reading sessions and sometimes that can lead to the dangerous practice of ordering more books! It becomes a dangerous cycle when my bookshelves are already full. But I am finding inspiration and solace in this practice. The work of William Morris, and the embroideries of Jane and May Morris have become very powerful images for me now that I know so much more about their stories. I have a Beatrix Potter class coming up next year and I am doing my research for the class now. Knowing that Potter struggled with insecurities in her own skills and seeing her passion to learn on her own has been eye opening. I am making little discoveries about her artwork and the influences that formed her personal style. The slow luxury of reading and studying has made this summer more beautiful for me. I try to take two breaks a day to read with a cup of coffee or tea on the garden swing or in my favourite chair outside to absorb this wonderful season.

I feel grateful for this summer. But the rushing wind of September is here and I know that my regular pace of teaching and intense studio work returns quickly. I will be sharing many new discoveries in my upcoming classes and the November Study Day. My summer bookshelf inventory helped me to appreciate a beautiful book on my shelf and I worked on creating beautiful Flowering Rinceau designs.

I was amazed at how simple they are to create and how incredibly beautiful they are when they are completed.

These will show up in other forms in future classes but if you are interested in my approach to how I take a Study Day, I will share my methods with a very few group of students. Registration info is on my website if you would like to join this special day. It is very hard for me to describe the growth that can happen by taking Study Days, but I look forward to them like taking a mini retreat or spa day for myself. One of the wise phrases I came across in the work of William Morris was that he took a " generous view of education." Both Morris and Potter had an incredible ability to teach themselves the skills they wanted through experiments, trial and error. Jane Morris was constantly working on her embroidery as well. She wanted to create the visions of beauty that were in her head and run her hand over the work that she had just created. I can totally relate to this. There is something so satisfying and almost mesmerizing about watching your work emerge and grow. As September shares its unique warmth and glow, I wish you all the best with whatever your hands choose to do. Make the most of the time you have. Do what you love and love what you do. In the words of Wordsworth...." what we have loved, others will love, and we will teach them how." Have a beautiful September dear friends. Thank you for reading and for your kind words and friendship.