Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged clouds, colors, Inspiration, light, nature, orange, Photography, sky on July 2, 2015| 1 Comment »
These clouds I saw at the end of a long day. I sat at the kitchen table wondering what my next step would be, and as I did so, I happened to glance over my shoulder and saw that sky. At first, I planned to just sit and watch and not worry about trying to capture anything. But after a while, I felt that compulsion to jump up and find my camera.
Posted in Branches, Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged abstract, beauty, botanicals, colors, flowers, Inspiration, Photography, urban landscape on June 30, 2015| 5 Comments »
I was a bit early for an appointment in Boston’s Back Bay, so I decided to take a brisk walk around the block. This is what I saw.
Posted in Inspiration, tagged colors, Copley Square Farmers Market, family, flowers, gifts, Inspiration, Photography, seeds, sunflowers on June 28, 2015| 6 Comments »
The sunflower seeds that I sent to one of my brothers are doing well. During the most recent heat wave in Virginia, he described diligently watering their stalwart green stems along with his green pepper plants. I asked him this morning if they have yet to bloom and he replied, “No. They just keep growing taller! They are already taller than the porch. The landlord worries they might overgrow the house. The stems are so thick and the leaves so broad, you can’t see anything. They are creating a natural wall. The landlord may want to cut them down.” I encouraged him not to allow that to happen. While they are not beanstalks for Jack to climb, who knows what’s to be found at the top of those flowers once they pierce the clouds?
As for these sunflowers, they were to be found in Boston’s Copley Square as I dashed through the Farmers Market this past Friday. A delightful sight, living up to their name, like the sun come down to the ground.
Posted in Inspiration, tagged abstract, colors, Inspiration, Photography, simplicity on June 22, 2015| 2 Comments »
An image taken through the rippled glass window of a neighboring house, tree and climbing vines. In recent years I’ve been encouraged to print my photos much larger. Be bold! This is an image that I would like to print quite large. It’s just a matter of selecting the right frame, or perhaps there should be no frame at all.
Posted in Branches, Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged colors, flowers, gardening, green, Inspiration, nature, Photography, red, white, yellow on June 18, 2015| 6 Comments »
Posted in Kitchen Inspirations, Nature Notes, tagged colors, edible flowers, family, flowers, Inspiration, nature, viola on June 17, 2015| 2 Comments »
Posted in Inspiration, Photography, Publication Updates, tagged colors, cover art, cover image, creativity, Diverse Voices Quarterly, diversity, Inspiration, literary magazines, Photography, writers on June 16, 2015| 6 Comments »
It’s hot off the presses, folks! Diverse Voices Quarterly, Volume 7, Issue 25. I’m honored to have had one of my photos selected as the cover image … water flowing over leaves, a melding of colors. Available online and for the kindle. As always, this issue contains a wonderful selection of poetry, fiction and nonfiction. Brief reads to be savored, like Home by Debonair Oates-Primus and Ancestors by Lee Varon. Enjoy.
Posted in Branches, Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged abstract, beauty, colors, flowers, gardening, Inspiration, Photography, urban landscape on June 15, 2015| 3 Comments »
Posted in Inspiration, tagged architecture, art, Charles R. Lamb, City Beautiful, design, Doris Ulmann, eagles, history, Inspiration, J & R Lamb Studios, Katherine Lamb Tait, lambs, lecterns, Photography, Trinity Church on June 15, 2015| Leave a Comment »
Charles R. Lamb, photo by Doris Ulmann
Recently I photographed the eagle lectern at Trinity Church in Copley Square, Boston. That day I had grown impatient with color and switched to black and white. And thankfully so because the play of light and shadows across the bird’s form revealed wonderful details. That lectern, original to the historic landmark (1877), was designed by Charles R. Lamb of J & R Lamb Studios of New York.
J & R Lamb Studios, established by brothers Joseph and Richard Lamb in 1857 and still in operation today, is most well-known for its stained glass creations. In fact, the company’s artists produced designs for a range of furnishings, metalwork and interior architecture as well. Charles Lamb (1860-1942), son of Joseph, left school at 16 to join his father and uncle at the studio. He would eventually take over management of the company.
Design drawing for metalwork: Chiro chalice with grapevines, by Charles R. Lamb
His brother Frederick Stymetz Lamb would become head designer and oversee the studio’s artists who included Charles Lamb’s wife, Ella Condie Lamb. Charles’s daughter Katherine Lamb Tait would become head designer after WWII.
Katherine Lamb Tait
Over the course of his individual career, Charles Lamb would focus on urban planning and help pioneer the concept of City Beautiful. Most of the short biographies I found describe him as an innovator with ideas ahead of their time. Though during his professional life, he enabled the creation of much bright beauty, the latter part of his life may have been a bit dark. On February 22, 1942 he passed away at his home, Lamb’s Lane, in Cresskill, NJ. He was 82.
Design drawing for stained glass window “The Lamb on Mount Zion and Four-Square City of New Jerusalem” showing lamb with and elaborate detailing including grape/leaf border and Jerusalem/architectural motif
In 2003 and 2004, the Library of Congress acquired nearly 2500 drawings and sketches as well business records and photographs from the Lamb Studios. They are accessible to the public via this link: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/lamb/. An incredible resource for artists and historians.
Design drawing for two stained glass windows with grapevine vegetal design
Sources & Additional Reading
Lamb Studios Archive at Library of Congress
Lamb Studios History by Barea Lamb Seeley
Corning Museum of Glass – Historical Perspectives: Katherine Lamb Tait
Charles R. Lamb image courtesy of Doris Ulmann Photographic Collection, 1915-1925, University of Kentucky
Posted in Branches, Inspiration, Kitchen Inspirations, tagged abstract, black and white, dill, food, food photography, herbs, Inspiration, Photography on June 13, 2015| 3 Comments »
Words + Images 