Every autumn we collect the conkers from the magnificent horse chestnut trees. I can't decide whether i prefer the ones with white or pink blossom! I used to collect them from my under the tree in my auntie and uncles garden - hours of fun, but i can remember the beauty of conker hunting. The fresh green colour of the spiky hard husk, and the contrast with the white skin inside. Then the soft downy pith on the white patch on each conker, and the stunning deep vivid chestnut brown, waxy, shiny, pure and new. So vivid, each with its individual pattern of darker swirls, some huge, some tiny, some split into twins. I felt like each one was a newly discovered jewel, and ranking them in order of beauty. Now i display them in the house in bowls until they loose their oily sheen, and become dull and faded. Then we use them in the corners of the rooms to ward off huge spiders!! (scientifically proved wrong but seems to work!)
These were studies done in oil pastel, i love the slightly abstract feel of the first one, the essence of conkerness!
and the second, showing the beautiful gleam of the white pith inside.
