Winter Tree

This is another one of my tree studies.  We are reaching that part of the year where there will be plenty of these trees to look at (and enjoy).  I like the patterns that appear when you spend long enough looking at them.  Winter can be a dreary and cold time but if you want to see beauty, it is there if you take the time to stop what you are doing and pay attention to what is around you. 

I find it ironic that people accuse high functioning autistic people such as myself as lacking awareness of other people yet lots of so called normal people tend to have a lack of awareness of their environment and often also a lack of awareness of other people too.  How many times do I see people walking around with music headphones on their ears while also texting on their mobile phone paying no attention to anything but their music and the conversation/video/social network website that is on their phone.  At least it's just one aspect I struggle with (understanding other people).  I spend more time observing my environment and taking it in.  I have pointed out things to other people such as the design of buildings, unusual plants or whatever and they are often quite surprised that these things are there because they haven't noticed them.  I also have in the past mentioned sounds that I hear that 'normal' people don't hear or, if they do hear the same sounds, they find them quiet whereas I find them loud.  Maybe my lack of attention to people means I have more time to pay attention to my environment while 'normal' people spend so much time focussed on other people there is no space left for other things. 

Winter Tree, oil painting on canvas, 40inches x 30inches (2015)