In this work, the artist places the viewer at the stream's edge as it recedes into the distance and around the bend. Rolling hills surround the valley, but no human presence is detected. From a distance, the leaves on the trees appear to be distinctively rendered, but on closer inspection, they are actually splotchy, similar to a sponge effect, but yet they are still identifiable as being unique clusters bunched together with layers of overlapping tints and shades of the same color. Those viewers unfamiliar with the colorful palette of autumnal leaves in this region would be immediately awestruck by their visual explosion. Rich tones of gold, orange and red not only set a seasonal stage for the scene, but also evoke a rather nostalgic air. As a reminder to ponder the beauty of nature around us, Poole has also evoked a metaphoric meditation on time: the subdued tonality of color, the faint visibility of sunlight, the almost poetic haziness of the brushwork, and the seasonal passage of autumn into winter all call to mind the unstoppable and irreversible passage of time. |
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