Note from the Atelier October 3, 2026 Hi There Reader... October is here, which means Fall is here! My favorite season! I love the colors, the blue sky, the crisp air and those glorious days when a sweatshirt and shorts can be my standard OOTD. And, of course, football. This month, I’m sharing four destinations that are especially worth visiting in October, from fall color in New England to autumn in Kyoto. I’m also giving you a peek at my latest art experiment: turning some of my prints into little art objects on cradled wood panels. Happy fall!

October's Best Destinations

New England Peak Fall Color October is New England at its most iconic. Maples turn brilliant shades of red, orange and gold, especially from northern New England early in the month through Massachusetts and Connecticut later on. Scenic drives, small towns, apple orchards and hiking trails make it an easy place to build a trip around the season itself. The exact peak varies by location and weather, so a little flexibility helps

Maui, Hawaii Island Shoulder Season October falls between Maui’s busy summer and winter travel seasons, making it a particularly appealing time to enjoy the island. Warm weather still lends itself to beach days, snorkeling and drives along the coast, while an inland day might include Haleakalā or the Road to Hana. It’s also a good month to experience Maui as more than a beach destination, with Hawaiian food, art, history and culture worth exploring between trips to the water.

Lisbon, Portugal Autumn in Lisbon October in Lisbon is still warm while losing some of its summer intensity. Daytime temperatures average around the low 70s, crowds begin to thin and the cooler weather makes those famously hilly streets considerably more pleasant to explore. Spend your days wandering Alfama, visiting museums and historic sites in Belém, stopping at the city’s miradouros or taking a day trip to Sintra. Rain becomes more likely as October progresses, making the first half of the month especially appealing.

Kyoto, Japan Between the Seasons October offers a sweet spot in Kyoto: the summer heat and humidity have eased, but November's peak autumn foliage crowds have yet to arrive. The comfortable weather is ideal for exploring Kyoto’s temples, gardens and neighborhoods on foot or by bicycle. Later in the month, fall color begins appearing in higher-elevation areas, while October 22 brings Jidai Matsuri, Kyoto’s colorful Festival of the Ages.

From Print to Panel

As I started thinking about my fall art shows, I realized I wanted to bring something smaller and less expensive along with my original paintings. I already have prints and cards, and I wasn’t looking to create more inventory. I wanted something that felt a little more substantial than a paper print without the expense (or hassle) of framing.

Enter a stack of small wood panels.

I thought I would try mounting prints on cradled wood panels. I started with a few panels (4x4 and 8x8) and painted the edges. I then took some of my existing giclee prints - some 4x4s and some 8x8s, all of which had a 1/4" white border around them. After trimming the border, I mounted them directly to the panels and then varnished them. I was pleased with how they turned out!

I liked them so much, I decided to make some more with different paper types. I initially tested with prints on giclee fine art paper and glossy photographic paper; both worked beautifully. For my latest batch of prints, I ordered giclée semi-gloss photographic paper instead of the giclée fine art photographic paper I had used before. I also ordered them borderless. The semi-gloss cost about half as much, and since the glossy print I had previously experimented with worked just fine, I thought it was worth trying.

It was. And it wasn’t.

The prints themselves looked good and adhered fine, but I didn’t like the texture of the semi-gloss paper once I varnished it. Lesson learned. I’ll happily spend more on the fine art paper or stick with the glossy next time.

I will also note that choosing the artwork became an interesting exercise of its own. I assumed some of my favorite paintings would translate well to a small square format. Some did, some did not. A composition that works at 12 × 12 can change quite a bit when it shrinks to four inches. Paintings that rely on small details lose something. Simpler compositions worked better.

Eventually, I ended up with almost 50 mounted prints, mostly 4x4 with a handful of 8x8s. They can sit on a shelf or hang on the wall without a frame, and the wood gives them enough weight and dimension to feel like little objects rather than pieces of paper.

Not bad for a stack of little wood panels.

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