These pieces are from the series Found Landscapes in which I chose plywood panels (from the hardware store) with woodgrain patterns suggestive of landscape features. I brought the features out by staining the panels with oil paint.
In the first piece, I collaged a smooth stone in the center of a concentric ripple pattern and then accentuated the pattern by staining with blue paint. In the second, I used yellow paint to stain over a 1/4 circle shape in the upper left corner. Then I outlined the shape and drew sun rays with pencil to suggest a child-like symbol for the sun.
Just as a curious side note, Cathy Malchiodi in her book Understanding Children's Drawings (p. 212-13), suggests and cites research that claims that children who are facing death or loss of a relative will often place a sun in the upper left corner. When I worked with children, I noticed however that most children (even those who are not facing such a loss) tend to put a sun in the upper left corner.
Of course, children from other cultures have different symbolism. For instance, I'm unable to find a reference, but I remember seeing a documentary during my studies about Australian aboriginal children who used semi-circles to represent people in much the same way western children might use the stick figure.
