Angela Harding’s Quartet of Seasonal Prose
Angela Harding is a talented writer and artist, who has illustrated many books, and written more herself. Her lovely quartet of seasonal books is a delight. You can buy all four books as a gift quartet.
The author reflects on this season of new life, as it transforms around her. She takes in landscapes across the land. From her home garden studio in England’s smallest county of Rutland to the low-lying Suffolk marshlands and the windswept hills of Yorkshire. And even to the wildness of Scotland, over the border.
Winter’s Song is a beautifully illustrated pocket hardback guide to the season of winter. This really is something else, a delightful gift for someone you love, or for yourself as bedtime reading. The author reflects on this season of new life, as it transforms around her. She takes in landscapes across the land.
When the snow falls quickly, it brings dramatic change. Hare, rabbit and bird tracks become visible in the lanes and fields.
Spring Unfurled (a printmaker’s view)
Spring Unfurled is a beautifully illustrated pocket hardback guide to the season of spring. This really is something else, a delightful gift for someone you love, or for yourself as bedtime reading.
The seasons are nature’s clock, bringing birds from distant shores to nest and breed. Seasons have no regard for official times. When the days shorten and the evening air is chilly, they know it’s time to leave.
Falling into Autumn: A Printmaker’s View
Autumn season in England casts a golden hue and chill in the air, as nights draw in, birds prepare for migration and animals prepare for winter hibernation. Trees lose their leaves and , and horse chestnut trees drop their seeds (keep conkers and leaf mould away from dogs).
Falling into Autumn is a beautiful book of prose and art from a printmaker, who inspires others with her personal encounters with nature, inspired by watching jays gathering acorns, and hearing owls hooting.
I am inspired by watching jays gathering acorns, owls hooting and the joy of hearing nightingales. In the shady part of my garden, ferns grow. By the autumn, these same leaves are starting to go brown at the edges.
This seems to be at the same time that the swallows gather to leave. Together with the ferns, they are markers that the summer has gone; that one season has finished and another is about to begin.
A perfect book for anyone who loves art and nature, with beautiful illustrations and evocative imagery. The book features over 30 of Angela’s favourite prints, alongside observations taken from her previous books.
In an interview, she notes that as a child, while other children had pictures of pop stars on their walls, she had images of different birds!
Summer’s Hum completes the quartet.
