Simply beautiful in my humble opinion. Enjoy this just over 1 minute video from artist Angie Pickman. A tribute to the winter solstice. 😉
The Longest Night from Angie Pickman on Vimeo.
Posts Tagged ‘art’
the longest night by angie pickman
Posted in Guest Contributor, Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged Angie Pickman, animation, art, beauty, creativity, cut paper, Inspiration, nature, Rural Pearl, winter, winter solstice on December 21, 2013| 3 Comments »
glass + books
Posted in Inspiration, On the Road, tagged architecture, art, beauty, dublin, Inspiration, ireland, libraries, National Library of Ireland, Photography, public libraries, stained glass windows, travel on November 8, 2013| 3 Comments »
In my travels I have not forgotten stained glass or public libraries. Here is but a small section of a window found in the National Library of Ireland in Dublin. Via this link you can actually see a 360 degree view of the front hall where this and several other windows can be found along with beautiful mosaics and fine carvings. A lovely place to visit.
john la farge and his murals
Posted in Inspiration, tagged architecture, art, Boston, colors, faith, Inspiration, John La Farge, murals, painting, Photography, religious art, Trinity Church, Trinity Church in Copley Square on October 9, 2013| 2 Comments »
As a child in Virginia I never imagined that I’d spend so much time as an adult in a place like Trinity Church watching sunlight stream through stained glass windows and play upon walls designed and painted by the likes of artist John La Farge. This is a photograph of one of those murals. I’m pleased at how it turned out as a postcard. Soon to be available in the church Book Shop. There is a wealth of information available in books and online about John La Farge. I found particularly interesting this article about the rivalry between La Farge and Louis Comfort Tiffany. Below are a few additional images of the murals. Just a tease really because no picture can compare to the real thing. 😉
Learn more about the artist John LaFarge, architect Henry Hobson Richardson and much more on the church website.
to shine with a bright light
Posted in Inspiration, tagged architecture, art, arts, beauty, churches, colors, faith, Henry Holiday of London, Inspiration, Jesus, Postcards, religion, stained glass, transfiguration, Trinity Church in Copley Square on September 25, 2013| 3 Comments »
That is this lay person’s interpretation of this image of The Transfiguration of Jesus, a stained glass window in Trinity Church in Copley Square. It is by Henry Holiday of London. I hope to share more about the whole window and its maker in the coming month, but meanwhile I can share that I’ve been lucky enough to photograph this center part of the window. It will be available as a postcard in the church’s Book Shop in early October. Have a good day, folks.
rain drops did not keep falling on my head but …
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged abstract, art, arts, colors, imagination, Inspiration, nature, Photography, rain, stars, textures, universe, water on September 1, 2013| 2 Comments »
… they did keep falling gently into the puddles. The puddles had been formed earlier in the morning when the heavy rains fell. As the rain eased I decided to see what would happen if I tried to photograph the ripples upon the waters. Afterwards as I played with brightness, contrast and color, the images reminded me of a watery universe. I’m not sure why my mind is in the stars of late, but … I am going to go with the flow and so I have created a temporary gallery pairing these water universe pics with my black sands universe series. Enjoy. 😉
the smell of space
Posted in Inspiration, Kitchen Inspirations, tagged abstract, art, arts, astronomy, colors, imagination, Inspiration, Photography, seasonings, space images on August 29, 2013| 1 Comment »
Salt, cinnamon, smoky paprika and a few peppercorns. The best part about adding these seasonings into my black sands universe is that every time I reshape things a wonderful aroma arises.
FYI, here’s another cool site for actual space images: http://www.spacetelescope.org/images/archive/top100/
works in progress — artist zoe langosy
Posted in Branches, Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged art, arts, beauty, Blue Hills Reservation, collaboration, collage, collage artist, colors, creativity, fashion, illustration, Inspiration, light, nature, Photography, Zoe Langosy on August 20, 2013| 1 Comment »
work in progress by artist Zoe Langosy with characters Coyote, Columbine and Harlequin
Standing silent in the presence of others, while a friend describes the essence of your work? It can be an illuminating, humbling experience. That is what happened to me as collage artist Zoe Langosy described what she saw in some of my photographs. “There are notes of nostalgia. I am attracted to cut up stuff that has that dark edge. Through her photography Cynthia captures those parts of nature many people don’t see likes cracks in the ice on a frozen pond or the beauty of a dying flower. Her images can make you stop, feel and reflect. In her work, as in my own, there is a reminder that there are two sides to life. That in order to find balance, we sometimes have to suffer. The sun rises but it also sets and as a part of that arc there’s the dark beauty to be found at twilight.” Zoe is currently at work on new pieces for upcoming shows. As always, I’m honored that she has selected one of my images to use in a collage, in this case birch trees photographed near sunset at the Blue Hills Reservation. The sun-touched bark will help to create the light in Harlequin’s outfit.
Harlequin, Columbine and Coyote are recurring characters in Zoe’s portfolio, androgynous, melancholic and hauntingly beautiful. The patchwork of Harlequin’s outfit will also include bits of Japanese paper in dark blue with silver details that reminds Zoe of “a moonlit field at night.” In the end her patchwork will convey a sense that Harlequin is outfitted in nature.
work in progress by artist Zoe Langosy
Learn more about Zoe’s works in progress and upcoming exhibits by following her on Facebook. FYI, she will have several of her original pieces on display during NYC Fashion Week in just a few weeks. Prints of her work (and her father’s) are available on Etsy. Enjoy.
two figures entwined
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, On the Road, tagged art, arts, figures, human form, Inspiration, nature, outdoors, Photography, Revere Beach, sand sculpting on July 22, 2013| 8 Comments »
As a child I made mud pies dusted with dry sand as if it were confectionery sugar, but sculpting sand into delicate forms? Never learned that magic art.
This particular sculpture, Imprinted, was one of several featured at this weekend’s Revere Beach Sand Sculpting Festival and was created by artist Sue McGrew from Tacoma, Washington.
in the works …
Posted in Inspiration, tagged art, Boston, Burne-Jones, churches, Fiona MacCarthy, Inspiration, madonna and child, Photography, prints, St. Francis, stained glass windows, stationery, Trnity Church in Copley Square, William Morris on July 15, 2013| 2 Comments »
Well, there’s all sorts of things I’d like to cry havoc about today but the words and thoughts aren’t coming together so I’ll simply share a few good things in the works.
a new postcard
In a 2006 article for The Guardian, biographer Fiona MacCarthy writes, “Christmas would not be Christmas without a Burne-Jones angel.” This particular angel is from a group of stained glass windows at Trinity Church commonly referred to as the Christmas windows. They depict The Journey into Egypt, Worship of the Magi, and Wonder of the Shepherds. This particular blue-winged angel is from the Wonder of the Shepherds. Designed by Burne-Jones and executed by William Morris (1882). Available in August at the Trinity Book Shop.
a new notecard
This Madonna and Child does not appear in Trinity Church. The image is the center panel of a triptych likely created over 100 years ago for a competition in Florence, Italy. A set of 5-notecards will be made available at the Trinity Book Shop closer to the holidays.
small prints
A colleague recently said, “You’re always taking pictures of that statue.” I think there’s always something new to see. This is St. Francis in the garden on the Clarendon Street side of Trinity Church. A different angle than the image in the current postcard available in the Shop. This image is available as a 5×7 print in an 8×10 mat. I find it serene and hope others will too.
special requests
I’m not on Etsy yet but luckily that hasn’t prevented friends and family from placing special orders. Through them, I sometimes see my work with new eyes. Always enjoyable. I created these notecards for a friend looking for something a little different than traditional Hallmark.
next steps?
Not sure at this very moment, except … to take a deep breath, get up from my desk and go for a brief walk out into the day. And be sure to bring my camera. 😉
and speaking of sparrows … maybe …
Posted in Inspiration, tagged architecture, art, arts, Boston, Boston Public Library, Copley Square, Daniel Chester French, doors, Inspiration, McKim Building, Photography on July 12, 2013| 8 Comments »
While on Newbury Street, I wasn’t far from one of my favorite haunts, the Boston Public Library. I ventured there with the intent of perusing the new books and then taking a few more shots of the Sargent murals. But instead of murals, I found myself photographing the bronze doors created for the library by Daniel Chester French. According to the library website, there are three sets of bronze doors with each weighing 1500 pounds. The allegorical figures, modeled in low relief, represent Music and Poetry, Knowledge and Wisdom and Truth and Romance. I’m afraid I did not photograph Knowledge and Wisdom. Maybe next time. 😉
You can learn more about Daniel Chester French on this Metropolitan Museum of Art page.
Words + Images 