Posted in Branches, Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged blackbirds, Inspiration, landscape, National Poetry Month, nature, photo, Photography, poetry, silhouette, Wallace Stevens on April 9, 2013| 8 Comments »
black bird in rose branches
When I originally took this photo, I did not even see the blackbird. I was solely focused on the leaves. Only later did I notice the lovely silhouette with its little luminous eye. I suppose that he saw me. Poet Wallace Stevens thought there were Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird. Just click on the link to read his words. And I hope you’re enjoying National Poetry Month. 😉
Posted in Inspiration, tagged angels, architecture, art, arts, churches, Edward Burne-Jones, Fiona MacCarthy, illustration, love, muse, Photography, pre raphaelite artists, stained glass, stained glass window, Trinity Church in Copley Square on April 8, 2013| 5 Comments »
This scene is a detail from the Edward Burne-Jones and William Morris stained glass window, David’s Charge to Solomon, 1882. The window, designed by Burne-Jones and executed by Morris, is located in the baptistry of Trinity Church in Copley Square. I was drawn to this particular section because of the colors, the incredible drapery of the cloth, and the faces of the women.
The faces of these women and apparently the faces of many of the women in Burne-Jones’s post-1860’s artwork all have a similar look. They are likely the face of his great love and muse, Maria Zambaco. She appears to have been the muse for many of the Pre-Raphaelite artists. This wikipedia article gives a broad overview of the Burne-Jones/Zambaco relationship, but I must say that this Oxford Today article referencing Fiona MacCarthy gives a much richer picture of a complicated man, his many muses and the influence of his art.
Study by Burne-Jones, c. 1870
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, Photography Exhibits, tagged art exhibits, Artists' Group of Charlestown, Charles River Esplanade, colors, ice, landscape, nature, Photography, reflections, Somerville Open Studios, water on April 7, 2013| 4 Comments »
Water is the common theme, with all its simplicity of form and complex properties. Unseen trees reflected in the still waters of recent rains along the Charles River Esplanade.
Light bouncing around the ice enhancing the vibrant colors of rocks held tight on a Woburn road.
The two pictures were taken years apart but will both be on exhibit this April at different events. If you’re in the neighborhood, I hope you’ll stop by to see the work of all the artists on show.
Reflections will be on display at the Artists’ Group of Charlestown 9th Annual Spring Show. Opening Reception is this Friday, April 12th, from 6:00-9:00 pm. Read more here: http://www.artistsgroupofcharlestown.com/
Icecapade will be on display at the Somerville Open Studios Volunteer Show, part of the 15th Annual Somerville Open Studios. The Volunteer Show will be held at the Bloc 11 restaurant in the heart of Union Square. Opening Reception is this Wednesday, April 10th, from 6:30-8:00 pm. Read more here: http://www.somervilleopenstudios.org/visit/
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged colors, flowers, Inspiration, light, Photography, plants, tulips on April 7, 2013| 7 Comments »
Posted in Inspiration, Publication Updates, tagged colors, Contributing Writer, English, grief, Inspiration, literature, motivation, Photography, poetry, teaching, writing prompts on April 4, 2013| 4 Comments »
Via this link you can read English professor Hank Kellner’s latest article on Using Poems and Photos to Inspire Writing, an article that incorporates my poem, The Color of Sadness. Throughout our lives, if we’re lucky, teachers guide us. English teachers have been very important in my life. That is why I am so honored to have met Hank who is so dedicated to helping other teachers inspire their students to write. He enables teachers to help their students view a photo or a poem as a launching point. He has certainly helped me view my own writing with new eyes. I wrote the Color of Sadness as an expression of lingering grief over the loss of my parents. I have watched him turn it into a teaching tool. What an amazing world. 😉
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged colors, creativity, flowers, Inspiration, light, nature, petals, Photography, plants, tulips on April 4, 2013| 5 Comments »
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged arts, colors, flowers, Georgia O'Keeffe, Imogen Cunningham, influences, Inspiration, light, nature, Photography, plants, tulips on April 3, 2013| 7 Comments »
… pink and glowing with sunlight, of course. A long-stemmed bouquet sitting in a vase not far from my desk. I yearned to photograph them but hesitated. The camera enables and empowers me to procrastinate wonderfully when I should be completing writing projects. But the light grew so intense in those petals that I did rise with camera in-hand and began to snap photos. But as you can tell from this post, it was not the petals that held my attention, it was the stems and leaves, their lines and curves and those beautiful shadows.
As I viewed the images, I could not help but see the many influences continually shaping the creative me. From Imogen Cunningham and Georgia O’Keeffee to the many wonderful photographers and other artists whose blogs I follow on wordpress and via other venues. Thank you for the beauty — and lessons learned — you choose to share.
Posted in Inspiration, Kitchen Inspirations, tagged appetizers, colors, creativity, food, food photography, healthy snacks, Inspiration, Photography, slate, styling on April 2, 2013| 8 Comments »
pistachios & figs
sunflower sprouts & cheddar cheese
dark chocolate and dried cranberries
Posted in Inspiration, tagged architecture, art, books, Boston Public Library, family, Inspiration, john singer sargent, murals, Photography, reading on April 1, 2013| 1 Comment »
Reading Emily Toth’s The Public Library Was My Bookstore just reinforced for me that there is no greater public institution than the public library. As a child in Lynchburg, Virgnia, the public library was one of the few places my mother would allow my younger brother and I to walk by ourselves. When we were older, and our young niece and nephew would visit for the summer, we would literally carry them piggyback to the library to keep them entertained. My nephew who is now 30 with a child of his own still remembers those rides. Once I moved to the Boston area, one of my homes away from home quickly became the Boston Public Library.
If you are ever in Boston, please visit the main branch located on Boylston Street in Copley Square. It was the country’s first public library and remains one of its most important. It is an expansive structure that has evolved over time. In the “old part” you will find some of the most beautiful and unique art of John Singer Sargent. In the “new part” you will find the books and there amidst the shelves and sitting at the tables you will find the mix of Boston’s humanity – young mothers with children, high school students studying (kind of), college students researching, business people escaping the office for a bit, the homeless resting, people learning English with tutors, tourists snapping photos (without flash), and everything and everyone in between. It is an experience.
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged Easter, flowers, Inspiration, Photography, plants on March 31, 2013| 5 Comments »
