Up close with nature

In "Poised" I used a variety of handmade papers in the strip along the side and added some small circle stencils to give the feel of atmosphere or motion as the flower is in the act of opening up.
The leaf photo was abstract from the start with the reflections in the water surrounding it, so my filters worked to abstract it more and I added a quote from Camus at the bottom right to give further interest up close.

Autumn in Illinois

There is a lake on the north side of my town that is always stunning in autumn. I walked around its perimeter taking photos and decided I liked this view the best. As I layered up the strips of altered imagery, the tree at the right seemed a bit too dark. I put some small strips of leaves and grass from the bottom left into the tree, so I guess I reversed "nature" by putting the leaves back on the tree! It DID help to give that dark tree some more interest. I'm pleased with how the colorful trees on the far shore seem to glow with light. This is another 12"H x 24"W collage on cradled panel.