Moss Brook, 2014 – Michaela Harlow - 11″ x 9″ pastel on paper  (15″ x 11″)

Last week I went for a short hike in Western Massachusetts, where spring is a bit further along than it is here in Southern Vermont. Sunny, south-facing rock walls along familiar Connecticut River trails were verdant with moss, lichen and maidenhair fern; soft, fragrant and warm to the touch. Tiny waterfalls gathered in green-glowing brooks before pooling and spilling into the great river. Everything seems to be moving; sparkling in sunlight and teeming with life.

 Moss Brook, 2014, pastel on paper, in progress 

It’s been some years since I’ve had the opportunity to work this late into the spring. Blurry iPhone photos and quick notes remind me of places that struck a chord. Now, back in the studio, I am eager to get to work on fresh panels. These Moss Brook pastels and others will become the foundation of larger works in coming weeks and months.

 Moss Brook II, 2014 – Michaela Harlow – 15″ x 12″, pastel on deckle-edged, handmade paper

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