forme et fond

i made a similar design to this one recently using star anise. the two images are quite alike in their design, and entirely different in their materials. they each also say something slightly different about shape and color. in his french high school, our son was taught to differentiate between the form of a work of art, and the subject matter. the “forme” in french, and the “fond.” the question is how much each influences the other. i have a forsythia bush about to burst into yellow flame in my back yard. i wonder what language it will speak, when i arrange it into an asymmetrically weighted circle.

crushed dried red leaves