Art is a gift because, though there may be a correct way to do things, there are no rules that constrain our imagination. When recalling events from the distant past, I often use this freedom to color my memories. That is the case in today's collage.
@shaka offered the LMAC community an idyllic country scene.
Shaka's Picture
For the first eleven years of my life I was more in sympathy with nature and its multitudinous creatures than I was with my fellow humans. It was easy for me to see myself in @shaka's picture.
The Photo Upon Which the Children in the Collage Are Modeled
Picture credit: A family photo from my personal collection (c. 1949)
This photo has been blurred mechanically to protect the privacy of my sisters. They are the fair-haired girls on the left. I'm on the right. Two of my three brothers are standing behind us.
Our playground was the Shawangunk Mountains ('The Gunks').
'The Gunks', New Paltz, New York, USA
Image credit: jrtaylor08 CC 3.0
When I was eleven my family abruptly moved to Brooklyn, New York.
Bensonhurst, One of the Communities We Lived in
Image credit: DommDan515. CC 3.0 license Models of the cars were different back then, as were the names on the stores. But this, basically, is what I found when I moved to Brooklyn.
Let's go back to the Shawangunks.
Shawangunk Ridge, NY
Image credit: Jarek Tuszyński / CC-BY-SA-3.0 & GDFL
The Shawangunks are part of the Appalachian Mountains, which run from Newfoundland in Canada and extend all the way down to the state of Georgia in the USA. It is estimated that the Appalachian range is 480 million years old and once reached elevations that rivaled those of the Rockies and the Alps. Erosion over the years trimmed the loftiest peaks.
Shawangunk Ridge, Bear Hill Preserve
Image credit: Julian Colton. CC 4.0
Wildlife in the Shawangunk Mountains
One of the perils we were warned about as children was the copperhead snake. Only two species of venomous snakes inhabit the Shawangunks: the copperhead and the timber rattlesnake. The timber rattlesnake (which I never heard of all those years ago) is on the endangered species list in New York today.
Copperhead Snake
Image credit:Edward J. Wozniak D.V.M., Ph.D, U. S. Fish and Wildlife. Public domain Thankfully, I never once saw a copperhead--although a copperhead may have seen me. The snake is a master of camouflage.
One snake we saw frequently on our forest adventures, and even in our yard, was the garter snake. We were taught that the garter snake was beneficial to farmers. We lived in farm country so we never molested this snake.
Eastern Ribbon Snake (Close Relative of Garter Snake)
Image credit: Ande9174 at English Wikipedia. Public domain
The garter snake and ribbon snake look so much alike that there are guides that instruct in how to tell them apart.
The Woodrat
Picture credit: Alan Cressler. CC license 2.0
When I was a child, this animal was abundant in Shawangunk Mountains. However, it is nocturnal, so I never saw one. Today the woodrat has largely disappeared from New York. I did see squirrels, rabbits, chipmunks and deer. Happily, I never ran into a hunter.
Shawangunk Flora
There is a wide diversity of plant life in the mountains, which varies according to different areas. Besides the soaring pines and oaks, the flowering dogwoods, I recall most vividly a bog. The Shawangunks are home to wetland communities and in these may be found a species of tree that is quite familiar to me: the Atlantic white cedar.
The Atlantic White Cedar
Image credit: Katja Schulz from Washington, D. C., USA. CC 2.0 license.
According to a report issued by the Marine Biological Laboratory of Woods Hole, MA, the Atlantic white cedar is " limited to a ribbon of freshwater wetlands within 200 km of the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States". I recall a boggy area deep in the forest which would grow increasingly muddy as we progressed on our trek. Eventually the mud would become quite precarious and take on a quicksand like dynamic. This was intimidating, because whatever we threw in the mud would disappear.
My Collage
First I want to thank @shaka for giving me the opportunity to explore memory through art. Every week LMAC offers another invitation to let our imaginations free as we manipulate a photograph. I think it is obvious that for me, this is a liberating exercise. Please join in if you haven't tried yet. There's even an LMAC school, taught by @quantumg!
I just took a peak at @shaka's blog. Interpretations of this week's template photo are already pouring in. Take a look over the next few days and be amazed by creativity.
The picture at the center took a long time to render. I 'drew' (digitally) the first version a few years ago and then tried to refine the image until it looked something like the way I felt about the photo.
Other elements, besides @shaka's template, were the angel:Pixabay
The meerkat Matteo Ferrero on Unsplash 
Hydrangeas Pixabay 
ShrubPixabay 
Extra Turtles Janson_G on Pixabay 
Alligator, bird, extra shrub, butterfly, deer, fox and rabbits all came from Paint 3D.
Effects--stardust, color, etc.--were achieved with GIMP
Thank you for sharing your memories with us in such a wonderful way.
Your beautiful drawing and the photo montages make together a really great collage.
By the way, I think the drawing of you and your sisters is absolutely cute.
Good luck for the final poll! One thing, though, is for sure: Your collage will get my vote!
Wow, praise from our teacher :)) Thank you. I look at my simple drawing and try to think of how to better render such a picture by using your lighting tips. In the future, when I try to draw, digitally or otherwise, I will have that information at hand.
Your generous words are much appreciated. I think the one thing missing in the picture is a dog :))
Wow AG! The collage is beautiful with the girls and the surrounding animals.Loved the meekrat sitting beside the young ladies.
Thanks for the lovely walk down memory lane but seeing the snakes I have to say, “EEEKS.”
!tip
Hello my country friend :)
Thank you for those kind words. I love meerkats--who an resist them? As for snakes, I agree eeks! There was so much in the woods that didn't frighten me and should have. I could never wander around with such abandon today.
Thank you very much for the tip. Hope you are well and enjoying the changing season in your backyard.
Welcome AG. :)
The temperatures are starting to feel like fall but still some sunny days. Autumn is a beautiful season with the changing leaves.
I am well and hope you are keeping the same.
Greetings, excellent friend, a memory of your childhood reflected in your collage, good luck in the contest.
Thank you very much. We can pick the memories that make us happy and forget the others :)
I very much appreciate your stopping by.
I love this collage my dear friend, not only is it a colorful collage full of wildlife that I love so much, but it also has a great story... I always say that behind an image there is a great story and I love stories, I really enjoy reading.🤗
Thank you friend, @berlissanoja!. I understand your language of art very well I think, but have trouble using that language myself. I'm so glad that this week my collage spoke to you.
I hope your delightful turtle fantasy garners the prize it deserves tomorrow.
Warm regards,
AG
Hello, children enjoy nature a lot, it is clear that you had a very happy childhood.
Hello my friend. I'm glad happiness comes through. The childhood was actually very challenging. Nature was the best part of it. That has stayed with me all these years. Nice thing about nature is, no matter who we are, it's ours :) Thank you for coming by and allowing me to share my memories.
@agmoore I was about to ask about the blurriness of your B&W photo but then okay... I see 😁
The copper head snake had broken my ecstatic mood, unfortunately, the most feared thing for me on this planet. These creatures 😬
Fantastic collage art AG, I'm grateful to LMAC too, that we all got the chance to know something about you too 😊
Thank you, @razeiv! Snakes. I think they came to mind because I also have great respect for the harm they can do. Whenever my husband and I visit a desert (out West) I remind him to look out for snakes :))
It was nice to share this idealized bit of my personalized history.
Hope we see your collage soon.
Haha!
Yes, my piece is ready, posting it in a few hours :))
Simply beautiful and served with a beautiful story as usual.
Do i like it? I love it. 😎
Thank you @muelli for liking my bit of personal (highly idealized) history. I'm really glad you find my collage to be 'beautiful'.🌞
I just upvoted myself instead of you !!! Silly woman. You'll have to wait an hour or so until I refuel my VP :))
Beautiful collage, pictures and story about your childhood. You set the bar for us every week. Well done.
I love the naturalness with which you approach this collage. I can feel your memories and enjoy Shawangunk.
You are a detail-oriented person who creates both real and fantasy worlds on the same plane. That is a virtue!
A big salute @agmoore!
Thank you @marcybetancourt! Funny about details...when it comes to research I'm like a dog after a bone. But when it comes to cleaning the house, or filling out paperwork, not so much :))
I loved doing this collage. It was like visiting my childhood, for a moment. Isn't art wonderful? Despite my lack of skill, the exercise still opens experience for me.
Good luck tonight.
Art is in our skin!
Wow, that's a nice collage there. You got a great scenery there and I like it
Thank you very much! This was particular fun to make because of the personal elements :)
Thank you @agmoore, I received a tip of hive from you. I truly appreciate
🌟🌟
🎁 Hi @agmoore! You have received 0.1 HBD tip from @redheadpei!
@redheadpei wrote lately about: Caturday Morning: A Cat’S Life Feel free to follow @redheadpei if you like it :)
Sending tips with @tipU - how to guide.
Thank you!