What does anyone have left to do but contemplate it. Today really wasn't one of those days I got to philosophical. So I'll end it there. I did however get lost in looking through pictures of past trips, both near and far. I really wanted to paint something, however am having a bit of trouble finding the motivation to do so.
During my sifting through of digital photos, I ran across a grouping from the summer of 2012. My wife and I had decided to take a day trip to Longwood Gardens, a rather large (1,077 acres or 436 hectares; 4.36 km²) botanical garden in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. It's roughly an hour and a half trip for us.. easily doable for a day trip.
Durring this trip in 2012, Longwood had commissioned a UK light artist, named Bruce Munro, to present a garden-wide light exhibition. I believe it was his first such light display installed in a garden setting. It ran most of the summer, was visible at night (haha), and drew a rather large crowd.
This quote from Longwood Gardens website sums it up nicely...
“His imaginative works will enchant and amaze our guests with their beauty and ingenuity,” said Redman, “but also inspire them to see and experience gardens in a whole new way.” “What also appealed to us about Bruce’s work is its focus on low-energy output and a sensitivity to the landscape,” said Redman. “Bruce shares Longwood’s commitment to sustainable practices.”
Installation highlights include Forest of Light, which invites guests to wander through a serene forest of 20,000 illuminated stems reminiscent of blooming flowers. Longwood’s undulating Meadow plays host to the Water Towers, a collection of 69 symmetric towers that create a glowing maze of light that changes hues to music.
The Last Part.. Is what I will be focusing on for todays post; The 69 towers that created a glowing maze of light. I enjoyed almost all of the light display, but rather enjoyed this part most. The towers were comprised of hundreds of water filled (2 Liter) soda bottles, containing lots of fiberoptic strands in each bottle.
Taken with a flash that I don't think anyone appreciated at the time
The illumination moving along to the music was transporting in a way. I suppose I could say that one could get lost in the emotion of it all.
I didn't have a tripod with me (dumb on my part), but I was still able to take a few notable photographs, despite the low light environment. After all, we were standing way out in a field far from city or street lighting. It was pitch black, except for a faint sliver of moon and the light emanating from the artistic display.
The fiberoptic light, coupled with the way it reflected throughout and off the bottles would play tricks on your eyes. It almost seemed as though the sculptures were in motion, as the color slowly faded from one to the next and in sync with the soft classical music.
There were people all throughout the display, walking here and there. They were sitting on the ground in the middle of it all, absorbing the moment. Others were just standing and staring at the light changes and pulsations. There were so many people, yet I felt alone in my personal experience of it all.
I Only Noticed The People.. After I looked a bit closer at the shots I took that night. I noticed them as shadows; dark figures passing along in the warm summer night. I was alone, but not alone. This was a well constructed and thought out piece of art.
And it was from the same point of view as above. It turns out that it was my favorite shot. It is actually one that I keep in a folder called "My Photo Book". A folder of photos that one day I want to have made into a book for own enjoyment.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and I will not be disappointed if you say it's crap. In my opinion, the shot in simple black and white value, is a compelling one. A strange light display, that if you had no knowledge of what it was, would be a bit odd and alluring all it's own. Add in a few human figures, that appear to me just standing there in around the light (and almost unnoticeable as such at first), and the photo comes alive.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do
But I will leave you with a little photographer humor. Yeah this is me in 2012. What am I looking at? No clue.. but when I have my camera with me, I am always about running into things. I am always looking up and down and all over the place. I'm looking for that angle that is not necessarily seen by looking strait ahead. Not much has changed in 10 years, except for the amount of hair I have (and maybe a few pounds from drinking beer). I must get better at watching where I am going. No promises though.
“How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a weary world.”
― William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice
My art work incorporates a wide variety of subject matter, including landscape, seascape, cityscape, and still life images. My works are the product of a continuing process of exploration through which I seek to portray personal and visionary interpretations of my surroundings. My paintings are impressions of places and events from everyday life, an interpretation of my imagination, and personal responses to what I see and feel on a daily basis. More recently I have invested generous amounts of time into my landscape painting. I am surrounded by natural and man made beauty, which inherently presents itself in the tri-state area, and almost demands that I paint it.
Not everything is art. Art is not everything, but it comes close. Art is everywhere and all the time. Art makes you experience the beauty of the world, the people in it, and the places we call home. Art itself is so influential that it can tell stories, show feelings, and express passion or fury. Art exists in addition to language; expression of sensations and thoughts, revealing a way of thinking too subtle and delicate for words.
For me art requires love, honesty and perseverance. In return, it reveals some personal, non-analyzable, and creative untamed passion. For the public, art with its magnificent beauty, improves mood and health and builds better human beings and communities. It engages the intellect, softens the heart, strengthens the soul and frees the spirit.
Or
If you don't see the piece in either shop, It may still be drying. Let me know and I can upload it as soon as possible to be available. Or you can always make me an offer (in HBD, Hive or any other crypto) in the comments section of this post. If we agree on a price, I will then ship the painting to you. (shipping costs will be determined by your location).
