Winter's Debris

Down by the lakeshore risking bombardment by blackbirds, I became interested in piles of reeds pushed onshore by the lake ice over winter. They are a collection of straight lines, for the most part, with a wonderful array of textures and brownish tones. Finding an arrangement to engage the eye amongst the chaos is a challenge.

I liked this patch because the lines are mostly on a diagonal with the odd vertical for contrast, diagonals being more active lead the eye around. I think the largest reed slanting in from the top right is also the lightest, giving it prominence and is a counterpoint against which all the remaining elements blend together.