Loose painterly brushstrokes create a serene woodland scene, yet one clearly imprinted by the presence of man. Fallen trees lay parallel (and perpendicular) to the sun-dappled road which cuts through the forest, while the remains of a chopped tree trunk scar the left foreground. A horse and buggy moves away from the viewer into the distant clearing, the only area flooded with light. Leisser uses mostly shades of green for the trees, with just a hint of red and orange on the tree closest to the path, indicative of either damage to the tree or the impending arrival of autumn.
Leisser includes humans as well as human technology to show how the landscape of Scalp Level is no longer untouched by technological advances. The foreground stump (clearly not cut to clear the way for the road) indicates how the trees are being felled for lumber as well. The tree that is just turning red perhaps indicates that change is beginning to occur in the area, more specifically technological changes incurred from human intervention. The light illuminates the path to the future, which is where the vehicle is headed for, away from the natural forest and climbing a distant hill.
|
|
