Crocuses 2012

Crocuses#12012

Crocuses#22012

Crocuses#32012

Crocuses#52012

Dear Everyone:

It is a tradition for me to

shoot crocuses every year.

Crocuses pushing up through

the soil is the first sign of Spring
to me.

Enjoy.

Helen.

Rhododendrons #1-#6 2011

Rhododendrons#12011

Rhododendrons#22011

Rhododendrons#32011

Rhododendrons#42011

Rhododendrons#52011

Rhododendrons#62011

Dear Everyone:

Playing catch-up with

postings for a bit now.

We have had a rainy, cold,

foggy, drizzly 2 months
this Spring.

The rhododendrons seemed
to enjoy this climate.

They are particularly

lush this year.

Enjoy.

Helen.

Floral Tableau I 2010

Woodlandbouqet#12010

Woodlandbouqet#22010

Woodlandbouqet#32010

Woodlandbouqet#42010

Woodlandbouqet#52010

Woodlandbouqet#62010

Dear Everyone:

With Spring pending I wanted

to capture the feeling of

wild flowers in a forrest/woods.

The flowers had to be white.

The backdrop had to imply

moss and lichen and tree trunks.

Rather than creating a backdrop

in the studio I thought why

not go outdoors and photograph

the flowers, purchased in a store,

actually posed in nature.

I liked the results so much

that I have decided to do a

series of store-bought bouqets

posed in the outdoor environment.

I have already completed the second

item in the series. To be posted

tomorrow.

See what you think of this first

entry - today's selection

Have a have-a-walk-in-

the-woods kind of day.

Helen.

Spring flowers

mayspringflowers2009




This folk art image (above) represents a series I plan to do of flowers strewn on/across
a page in a painting.


Last year I built collages with my own enlarged photographs and real flowers
strewn horizontally across the photos. This iris wallflower photo collage (below) is one of
my strongest.iriswallflower2008



The folk art painting references this photograph.

I hope that you enjoy this work.



Have a striving-to-be-your-best kind of day.


Helen.

April Flowers

For thoughts on Spring I turned to top Canadian photographer

Freeman Patterson. In his book "the garden" he shares his

strong attachment to gardening. Freeman appears to be

deeply engaged in life. One has the sense that he lives

life to the fullest every moment he can squeeze out of time.

Here is an essay from his book (P.19):

"When the leaves on trees are about the size of squirrels' ears,

when birds returning from months in the south dart around

in search of nesting sites,

and daffodils dance in gardens and meadows,

a deep sense of well-being floods over me.

Everything good in the world seems possible.

My emotional liberation is mirrored by my increased physical activity.

Lying in bed after sunrise seems incomprehensible.

Politely, but firmly

I refuse to attend meetings, particularly in the evenings.

I neglect my basement work area, disown my computer and

spend every possible moment outdoors. In short, I make room

for receiving the gift of spring.

As I wonder along field and forrest paths long covered in snow,

sniffing the breeze to savour the rich moist tang of the soil and

the drifting ambrosial hints from flowers blooming somewhere,

I observe variations of colour that appear at no other time of

year-delicate, warm and sprightly hues. I reconnect with the earth

and sense the incredible surge of creativity around me, and within me.

And I garden. I can't help it. My whole being longs to be

engaged in the birthing process. This is not a hobby but an

essential aspect of who I am. For me, not to garden would

be saying No to life itself".

Here I share some of my shots of April flowers to illustrate

Freeman's words.

aprilflowers012009

aprilflowers022009

aprilfloers032009
aprilflowers042009

aprilflowers052009
april flowers072009


Have-a-spring-in-your-step kind of day.