Rainbow Sun Wheel

Rainbow Sun Wheel, originally uploaded by e s c h e r.

Now, I know what you're thinking. "Coloured leaves? Sunlight? That's completely unexpected. Never seen that done before."

The first sun wheel was getting a bit too big for it's boots. After getting all that attention a few weeks back it's been swanning around the house making demands and muttering about how "no-one understands me, its tough being a celebrity."

Well I had to bring him down a peg or two so I made him an older sister to slap him around a bit. There has been a marked improvement, you'll be happy to know, he has even brushed his hair and doesn't only converse in grunts and frowns now.

I did some travelling for work earlier this week and put some extra hours in. As Friday and the weekend are set fair I left work early and got home just before lunch. My partner said to me "so what are you going to do this afternoon?"

"Land art of course" I replied with a grin. This was met with a frown. I guess tactless enthusiasm for a fair weather weekend wouldn't go down well with someone who works Friday afternoons and evenings and Saturday mornings! Especially after we went out yesterday evening and collected a bounty of beautiful coloured leaves that she then lovingly arranged on the dining room table. I'll be having them I thought! I guess there is someone else round here who needs slapping around a bit.

This was constructed the same way as before using hazel, leaves from several different shrubs, reed grass to divide the circle and thorns to pin it altogether. The leaves themselves dictated the form. I only had a few larger leaves so those went in the middle, the rest were much smaller and so demanded to be put into smaller frames. Also the colours available were more orange, red and brown with only a few yellow leaves collected and the green leaves were fresh and so had to be used sparingly as they quickly wilted in the strong sun.

Other land art lessons learnt today.

1) The sun moves! No, really it does! Banks of cloud kept rolling past and when the sun reappeared I had to keep moving the sunwheel forward so it wasn't in the shade. As I have explained before land art is very "deep and meaningful" and I think I might be onto something with this sun movement thing, I reckon that might explain what happens at night.

2) It is never, ever the right temperature. It is only ever too hot or too cold. Today the sun was very strong and it was far too warm for anyone other than lizards and Californians. I blame meteorologists. Oh and the banks. And politicians.

Have a nice weekend everyone!

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