Summer And Black Holly

On the Summer Solstice, I walked a country path, it’s one of my favorite walks locally. The Oaks seem to speak, the Beech trees too, presenting a quiet magnificence.

In November 2019 I felt a story needed to come through, I didn’t know what the story was about at that point but instinctually something was calling me. I sat at my art desk with a large piece of paper and a charcoal stick and drew from the heart. A large black bird in charcoal came through, a corvid, and words arrived too.

Returning to my Summer walk - As I walked back up the track, there in front of me lay two glistening Holly leaves. Green is often associated with the Holly leaf and indeed with the season of Summer, but here were two stark, beautiful black leaves.

Black is a wonderful colour to paint and draw with, it frames, gives depth, and defines boundaries in a piece of artwork. This image of the two Holly leaves is many things to me, the honouring of wisdom and time, being one of them.

Good wishes,

Sophia

Words & artwork © Sophia England