Compass Plant Series

Compass Plant Series, click image to see larger version

One important lesson I learned in art school was the value of working in a series. By limiting choice and focusing in on a narrow subject you can dig much deeper.

The Compass Plants caught my eye while I was walking the prairie this morning. Why not do a series of their leaves! The variation of shapes and colors surprised me. I grouped just 9 of the images together to show you what I mean (see above). Fat, skinny, symmetrical, asymmetrical, few lobes and many lobes. But they are all from the same species of prairie wildflower: Silphium laciniatum.

Compass Plant leaves are very unusual; they are very flat and rigid. They feel like they are made of plastic. I positioned the leaves so the morning sun came through the leaves, transilluminating them.