|
"Little Rabbit Foo Foo, hopping through the forest, scooping up the field mice and bashin' 'em on the head..."(childrens
song, author unknown.)
I grew up on the banks of the Ohio River. Near my house was a small wooded area, it was probably only about 20
acres or so but it was bigger than any forest I have been in since. We called this simply "THE WOODS."
From about age 7 on, it was my playground. I learned a lot there. I learned to smoke there. I learned to drink
there. I learned about the birds and the bees there. I went back there last year. Some idiot has bulldozed and
landscaped the whole thing! It's on the second flood plain of the Ohio River. One day the river will come and take
his house. Hare today, GOON tomorrow.
I learned a lot about observing nature in my chilhood forest.I even did my first serious painting there. This is
what my "Forest Floor Series" is all about. I can't call this series THE WOODS, 'cause it's not really
about that. This is about more.
This is about THE WOODS, but also about many more forests and observations. I love the way the dirt smells in the
forest. Diferent forests smell diferent. The light is incredible. A hot blue screaming through the black green
of the trees. The gold shimmer of a faerie swarm of gnats mesmerizes your eyes. Moss. Bark. Grass. So real it's
scary. Scary squirrels. Armadillo terrors. And sometimes, the very real scare of a grizzlie bear track. OR SCARIER.
Hare today, GOON tomorrow!
So, OK. That's what I am trying to capture. It's tough to put all that into a piece of glass, but I think I'm getting
it.
Sincerely,
Art Allison
(Childrens Song, Author Unknown)
"Little Rabbit Foo Foo, hopping through the forest, scooping up the field mice and bashin' 'em on the head.
Down came the good fairy, and she said, "Little rabbit Foo Foo, I don't want to see you scooping up the field
mice, and bashin' 'em on the head. I shall give you three chances, then I'm going to turn you into a GOON!"
So the next day: "Little Rabbit Foo Foo, hopping through the forest, scooping up the field mice and bashin'
'em on the head. Down came the good fairy, and she said, "Little rabbit Foo Foo, I don't want to see you scooping
up the field mice, and bashin' 'em on the head.I have warned you, you have just two chances left, then I'm going
to turn you into a GOON!"
So the next day: "Little Rabbit Foo Foo, hopping through the forest, scooping up the field mice and bashin'
'em on the head. Down came the good fairy, and she said, "Little rabbit Foo Foo, I don't want to see you scooping
up the field mice, and bashin' 'em on the head.I have warned you,
you have just one chance left, then I'm going to turn you into a GOON!"
So the next day: "Little Rabbit Foo Foo, hopping through the forest, scooping up the field mice and bashin'
'em on the head. Down came the good fairy, and she said, "Little rabbit Foo Foo, I don't want to see you scooping
up the field mice, and bashin' 'em on the head.I have warned you, now I'm going to turn you into a GOON!"
And she did!
The moral of the story is "Hare today, Goon tomorrow".
|
