Posted in Inspiration, Kitchen Inspirations, Nature Notes, tagged art, beauty, colors, edible flowers, flowers, food, gardening, healthy eating, imagination, Inspiration, Photography, salads, violas on May 17, 2016| 1 Comment »
After confirming that the flowers were edible, Ricky of Ricky’s Market asked me to tell him how they tasted. Well, they don’t taste like much to me, but what wonderful brightness they add to a salad. Like sunlight.
I have to return to Ricky’s soon and I am contemplating picking up some white flowers. If I place their petals upon the dark green leaves of spinach and kale will I be reminded of the moon this time? We shall see. 🙂
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged art, beauty, collaboration, collage, colors, creativity, drawing, fashion, fashion illustration, illustration, Inspiration, nature, Photography, sensuality, Valentino, Zoe Langosy on May 16, 2016| 1 Comment »
illustration by zoe langosy
Pencil has met paper. Lines have been drawn. Soon images will be cut and painstakingly applied to a sensuous form. An original concept has evolved with the core idea the same — figures clothed by nature. My photography as the “fabric” in the hands of fashion illustrator Zoe Langosy. Here’s a sneak peek at her current work in progress, a rendering of a Valentino dress to be collaged with three of my photos.
creative swatch by zoe langosy
In her own words: What has surprised me about the evolution of this work is that the initial drawing was classical in its rendering in part because Valentino is so classical, his fashion prim and romantic.
illustration by zoe langosy
But after the initial drawing which echoed that romantic sentiment, I lost interest and began a new drawing, one more dynamic and sensual. The wonderful challenge for me is to use the Valentino dress in a different way, to take this beautiful classical garment by a master designer, and render it with a darker edge that’s more inline with my own artistic style.
photo courtesy of zoe langosy
The artist is at work, ladies and gentlemen. Stay tuned for future updates. New to this story of a unique collaboration? Read more here: a new year and new collaborations and here fashion plus nature equals
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged beauty, colors, flowers, gardening, Inspiration, nature, Photography on May 15, 2016| Leave a Comment »
Posted in Books I Love, Branches, Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged ariella chezar, beauty, book review, books, creativity, floral arrangement, flowers, Inspiration, Photography, the flower workshop on May 9, 2016| Leave a Comment »
In short, from front to back, each page of The Flower Workshop is a treat. Am I biased? Perhaps. This is the kind of book that I can imagine on the table in front of me as I sip sweet tea, just flipping through the pages. Strangely enough, it was my younger brother who recently reminded me that that is exactly what I used to do as a child with my mom’s gardening books. Just sit and peruse them over and over again. Well-written and beautifully photographed, the book provides step-by-step instruction for producing 45 floral arrangements. But beyond those specific projects, the reader is truly educated in how to “branch out” and experiment with how to work with flowers, foliage, fruit and more to create what I consider to be ephemeral works of art.
Will I be producing a flowering dogwood display anytime soon? No but I do have a greater appreciation for the skill as well as imagination behind such displays that I had perhaps taken for granted in churches, hotels and even the homes of friends. And I also take away a deeper understanding of everything from the rule of three to the subtle use of color to establish mood. There’s a nice index and seasonal flower guide. Simply a lovely resource.
I received this book from Blogging for Books for this honest review. Please check out the following links for more information.
Details about the book: The Flower Workshop
Posted in Branches, Inspiration, Kitchen Inspirations, Nature Notes, tagged colors, flowers, gardening, healthy eating, indoor gardening, Inspiration, peas, Photography, radishes, salads on May 8, 2016| 1 Comment »
At the window my one pea blossom continues to bloom reminding me of a garnet drop.
The radish seeds with which I had such early, painful adventures have leafed out. I harvested some to form this base of a salad.
The flowers, plucked from a small pot in the hallway, didn’t have much flavor. Too subtle for my palate. But for my painting palette, they were just perfect. 🙂
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged curiosity, Eliot Porter, imagination, Inspiration, James Gleick, landscapes, nature, Nature's Chaos, Photography, storytelling on May 4, 2016| 4 Comments »
It can be hard to read a coffee table sized book while sitting on a Boston subway during rush hour. But that’s what I was trying to do after a visit to the library to retrieve the book Nature’s Chaos, a collaboration between photographer Eliot Porter and writer James Gleick. I sat snugly between, on my left, an older African fellow wearing a very puffy and, I’m sure, warm coat. On my right sat a young Chinese boy wearing a very puffy and, I’m sure, warm coat. The little boy kept getting in trouble with his dad because he was a bit hyper.
I’d been waiting a long time for this book. Carefully, very carefully, trying to respect the space of my neighbors, I opened up the book into a narrow V-shape. I figured the text I could read later, but I wanted a peek at Porter’s vast landscapes. I could see a little but not enough. Wider I opened the book. I peered closely at the sweeping patterns in cracked mud and lava flows. There were leaves on water and sunset clouds. As I lost myself in these scenes, perhaps the book fell open wider still because all of a sudden I noticed something.
Now the African gentleman was a bit more subtle but I could tell he was looking at the book with me. He’d adjust his glasses as I turned a page and every now and then he’d bend over slightly, trying to see the cover to find out what in the world I was looking at. The little boy hadn’t learned how to be subtle. He just peered right over my arm. I didn’t bother looking at his dad. I just began pointing out features on the page to the boy. Occasionally I’d drag my finger along a seemingly mundane scene, like orange flowers in a green field or vines on a tree trunk. I’d say softly, “That’s pretty cool, hunh?” His eyes never leaving the page, he’d nod and say softly, “Yeah.”
On the last page, I made a dramatic show of closing the book and saying in a little louder voice, “And that’s it!” The little boy (and the gentleman too I suppose) slid back into his chair. His father whispered to him. The little boy looked up at me.
“Thank you,” he said.
I smiled. “You’re welcome.”
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged blank notebooks, colors, Inspiration, landscape, nature, New England landscape, Photography, writing journals on May 4, 2016| Leave a Comment »
You can now find a series of inexpensive blank notebooks in my online bookstore. Simple little books with nature-themed covers that hopefully spark some creativity or inspiration. A bit more elegant than an index card for capturing quick thoughts or a sketch. 🙂 You can actually write in them or collect them for their covers of the New England landscape. Check these and other books out at Books by CStaples.
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged beauty, colors, flowers, friendship, gifts, Inspiration, orange, Photography, tulips on May 1, 2016| 3 Comments »
That was the color the bouquet of tulips appeared to be in the light of the shop. Then once brought home, placed in a vase, and bathed in the light of the sun all of these other colors appeared. An inspiring sight, to say the least.
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged art, bank notes, banknotes, collecting, currency, engraving, history, illustration, notaphily, paper money, Photography, storytelling, travel on April 27, 2016| 4 Comments »
brazil: banknote showing freed slaves cooking
I am helping to research a bank note collection, mostly paper money from pre-World War Europe as well as other parts of the world. It is a fascinating project especially after the sometimes heated discussions here in the U.S. regarding the $20 bill and the plan to swap out the visage of Andrew Jackson for that of Harriet Tubman. Whichever $20 bill is held in hand in the future, embedded in that money, in the illustration, will be the story of that exchange. It’s the storytelling aspect that excites me about this bank note collection. Gathered over many decades, the notes are like tiny time capsules with regard to artistic expression, economics, history and more. The nature of using money certainly continues to evolve (e.g. don’t carry cash at all, just swipe your phone!), but I expect paper money may be around for awhile. Meanwhile, I’m looking forward to delving into the past and discovering the stories etched in these monies, a few of which are highlighted below.
france: 1940s bank note, image of Pyrenean shepherd
germany: notgeld was emergency money
british armed forces special voucher
u.s. military payment certificate
Posted in Branches, Nature Notes, tagged Belle Isle Marsh, birds, birdwatching, Inspiration, nature, nature photography, Photography on April 26, 2016| 2 Comments »
There were nearly as many birdwatchers as baby birds at the Belle Isle Marsh this weekend. And I’m not sure the birds were pleased.
Words + Images 