Posted in Branches, Inspiration, Nature Notes, On the Road | Tagged beauty, birds, hummingbirds, Inspiration, nature, Photography | Leave a Comment »
I’m a details oriented person for the most part, in fact so much so, that I know I sometimes miss the big picture. But by being details oriented it becomes easy to recognize things … in this case … As my companion and I walked around the perimeter of Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church I could see the outlines of the stained glass windows. I pointed. “That for sure is Tiffany Studios, and maybe that one, too.” “You’re sure?” he asked. “Oh, yes,” I said with more confidence than I actually felt. “Look at the faces and the opalescent glass. The drapery. Signature Tiffany.”
He took me for my word and began helping me tug on doors. A homeless man making himself comfortably in a shady corner waved us over and said, “You need to go to that door.” We thanked him. It was locked but eventually, as service was about to begin, an usher unlocked the door and let us in. He was very kind.
As my companion talked with him about the organ, I snapped away trying not to disturb parishioners starting to settle in. And this is what I saw …
As for if and how many of the windows are actually Tiffany Studios, I don’t know for sure. That would involve a deeper level of research and conversation with the church historian or archivist.
But just as fascinating would be to discover more about the windows that are decidedly modern looking in a style I’m not yet familiar with on the East Coast.
Sometimes reminiscent of Chagall for me. What do you think?
Anyway, mostly when I see glass of such different styles in a sacred space I am reminded that the building like the people can be dynamic. A lovely, quick visit … 🙂
Posted in Inspiration, On the Road | Tagged architecture, art, beauty, Inspiration, Photography, stained glass, stained glass windows, Tiffany, travel | 1 Comment »
It wasn’t quite one of my “the door was open and I peeked in” adventures. It was more, it was a Sunday, the church doors were open and we were welcomed in and allowed to take pictures before the service began. Very inviting airy place with bright sun shining through colorful windows.
Posted in Inspiration, On the Road | Tagged architecture, art, beauty, Berkeley, Inspiration, Photography, religious art, stained glass, stained glass windows, travel | Leave a Comment »
I must say it was a bit depressing to read headlines from around the world today. From gang violence across U.S. cities, a new ‘trail of tears” as parents are being separated from children, resources for those most in need increasingly being eroded, and at the same time big business wielding its lobbying might to change policies that would have helped hold them accountable to the many for their actions as they work to increase wealth for a few. And then if I look outside my own borders to the rest of the world … well, goodness gracious. It is an avalanche or perhaps a mudslide of just damn bad news without clear sight of where hope lies on a grand scale. It clearly will not be coming from the White House anytime soon as that’s all that needs to be said for the moment about that sad mess and those sad people who do not represent me as an American. At the same time I know that there is lots of good work being done on the ground but where is the sweeping change to come? Is there a groundswell somewhere out there that I have yet to see? Time will tell … anyway, meanwhile, I choose to share these images of beauty, of prickly cactus crowned by flowers filled with light.
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, On the Road | Tagged beauty, botanical garden, cactus, colors, flowers, hope, Inspiration, landscape, musings, nature, Photography, succulents | 2 Comments »
Sometimes I get so caught up in trying to photograph the flowers, I forget why flowers exist in the first place. Not for my visual pleasure but to attract pollinators. And they were hard at work in the UC Botantical Garden.
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, On the Road | Tagged bees, flowers, insects, Inspiration, nature, Photography, pollination, pollinators, travel | 4 Comments »
I kept wanting it to take flight, to see its wings fill with light, but it did not want to fly apparently, no matter how many times it lifted its wings. I chanced upon the egret in my usual way, stepping to the edge of a structure and peering over to see what I might see, and there so still in the grass it stood …
… before taking those high-legged steps into the water …
… and then back out again onto land, feathers ruffled but still not taking flight. An impasse. Finally under the heat of the intense noonday sun I moved on suspecting that with my back now turned the egret’s wings spread and silently beat the air as it rose upward and upward, away.
https://www.fws.gov/refuge/san_pablo_bay/
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, On the Road | Tagged beauty, birds, egrets, Inspiration, nature, Photography, San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge, travel, wildlife | 4 Comments »
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes | Tagged beauty, flowers, Inspiration, Photography, pink, rose | Leave a Comment »
Posted in Branches, Inspiration, Nature Notes | Tagged Arnold Arboretum, beauty, birds, flowers, Inspiration, landscape, nature, Photography | 3 Comments »
“What is it? What is it? What is it?” The little girl’s song almost overshadowed that of the bird’s. Her mother, a bit exasperated perhaps, snapped, “It’s a bird!” The little girl’s tune changed. “Where is it? Where is it? Where is it?” As the mother took a deep breath, I stepped forward and knelt down. “Do you want to see it?” She nodded and so I showed her the bird on my camera. I zoomed in too, and she said, “Ooooh! It’s furry!” “Nope, just little feathers,” I corrected. She squinted at me. “But where is it in the tree?!” I stood up and said, “Follow my finger.” And she did, and she was just barely able to make out the bird in the branches that had continued to sing heartily the whole time we were staring down at the camera.
Posted in Branches, Inspiration, Nature Notes | Tagged Arnold Arboretum, beauty, birds, birdsong, Inspiration, landscape, nature, Photography, storytelling | 2 Comments »
Silk cashmere scarf ($94.95) available at shop at Trinity Church. Shipping is available. Just send a note to artandarchitecture@trinitychurchboston.org. Designer Donna McNett created this scarf starting with a photograph I took of the church chancel wall which was designed in 1938 by Maginnis & Walsh. I hope we have future opportunities to collaborate.
Posted in Inspiration | Tagged accessories, apparel, architecture inspired, beauty, design, fashion, gifts, Inspiration, Photography, scarves | Leave a Comment »
Words + Images 