A gray squirrel holds a sunlit cone on a mossy tree branch beside a thick trunk, against a blurred green background.

A Golden Holding

MG-0735

2021-07-01

About this piece

A gray squirrel sits in the crook of a tree, holding a cone between its forepaws. Sunlight illuminates the cone’s overlapping scales and traces the animal’s ears and whiskers, while deeply furrowed bark anchors the right side of the composition. The softly blurred green background lends this small encounter an intimate stillness.

The story

On this July day, light gathers along the squirrel’s ears and turns the cone’s scales to gold. Its paws cradle the cone close to its mouth, each claw distinct against the bright edges. Beneath it, rough bark and pockets of moss remain in shadow. The green beyond dissolves into softness, leaving this small creature and its meal at the center of attention.

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