May 31, 2010 California Landscapes day 2

The hills of Marin are normally yellow at this time of the year, but due to recent rain they are still green. The low rolling hills have soft edges and subtle shapes.

May 30, 2010 California Landscapes day 1

Along I-5 in Northern California the landscape is flat with hills in
the background. The muted color palette and restrained forms speak of
dryness.

May 29, 2010 RIMY Week day 7

RIMY* Week day 7. The ultra light pink of this bloom, with it's even, consistent color, is off set by the red spots in just one area.  It is a reminder that even the most banal things can be made exciting with the use of an abstract variable. *(Rhoddies in My Yard)

May 28, 2010 RIMY Week day 6

RIMY* Week day 6. The combination of the opened next to the partially-opened gives a another view of origin.  Side by side comparisons help identify similarities and differences. *(Rhoddies in My Yard)

May 27, 2010 RIMY Week day 5

RIMY* Week day 5. The negative space provided by the green leaves helps make this a good composition.  But there is a little detail, the water droplets on the end of a petal, that makes a subtle impression. *(Rhoddies In My Yard).

May 26, 2010 RIMY Week day 4

RIMY* Week day 4. This rhody has a combination of blooms in different stages of development. It would be cool if more art works showed you all the stages of the process. *(Rhoddies In My Yard).

May 25, 2010 RIMY Week day 3

RIMY* Week day 3. The concentration of stems of this rhody, as seen from overhead, don't provide a sense of the volume of the blooms. The angle flattens the image and makes the flower look like a pinwheel. *(Rhoddies in My Yard)

May 24, 2010 RIMY Week day 2

RIMY* week day 2. The sepal and pedals of this emerging rhody create and almost artichoke-like form. Except that artichokes aren't as wrinkled looking as this. *(Rhoddies in My Yard)

May 23, 2010 RIMY Week day 1

I'm kicking off a Rhoddies in My Yard (RIMY) week. The infinite varieties have very interesting sculptural forms, some of them tiny.

May 22, 2010 Grasses

Like the light green grass and blue-green grass that are highlighted by the yellow and red hedge in the background, an art work can at first be overwhelmed by the background.

May 21, 2010 Pink Iris Eyes

These pink iris are memorizing . . .perhaps because they look like three eyes staring out. The repetition of dark centers, in patterns of three, remind me of the power of target designs.

May 20, 2010 Blue/White Flowers

 

I photographed bright white flowers during a very bright sunny afternoon and the result was a blue photo. Sometimes an unexpected mistake makes things even more beautiful/interesting than what was intended.

May 19, 2010 Cones in Gravel

 

These pine cones were found sitting in the gravel by the side of the road. The warm colors and 3D forms of the cones are highly visible due to the cold gray 2D surface they now inhabit.

May 18, 2010 Model Train Trees

Set against the backdrop of office buildings, these trees remind me of the artificial trees used in model train landscapes.  Sometimes the placement/location of a botanical element can make it seem wholly unnatural.

May 17, 2010 Lone Tree

Stripped bare and broken, this nub of a tree overlooks the river and human-made environment.  Isolation of one stark element can made a big visual impact.

May 16, 2010 Billboard Iris

Big yellow irises grow beneath a billboard on Burnside Street (Portland).  The hard linear lines of the steel and angular graffiti are a harsh contrast to the splash of green leaves and floppy yellow petals.

May 15, 2010 Starburst

The radiating feather-like petals of this flower surround a dome similar to a dandelion parachute ball.  The forms and shapes on the two different planes provide an interesting juxtaposition.

Cover video

Here's the video I created about my installation "Cover" on display until May 22 at Doppler PDX, Portland, OR.

May 12, 2010 Purple Iris

The striated leaves, with intense purple saturation and yellow/white highlights, combine to make a pattern that is hard to ignore.

May 11, 2010 Vertical Branches

This colonnade of trees, along a riverfront path, features vertical branches that echo the lines of the light pole and trunks.

May 10, 2010 Street Rhody

This huge ball of color, found on a busy Portland street, provides a great contrast to the minimalism of the surrounding landscape and the linear lines of the poles, electrical lines and fence.

May 6, 2010 Tree Trunk

Came across this tree trunk in Portland--it's a shorter version of what I created for my installation, "Cover."

May 5, 2010 Opening Rhody

The overlapping segments of this opening rhody form an almost pine cone shape--it has yet to unfold to its final full bloom, cauliflower-like shape.  

May 4, 2010 Lilac again

From the other side of the curtain the volumes of the leaves and blooms of the lilac are fully visible and sharp, and not at all abstract.

May 3, 2010 Lilac

Naturally out of focus and abstract, this lilac shadow on a curtain in the morning light is unmistakably a plant form.

May 2, 2010 Purple Azalea

The purple color of this azalea is almost fluorescent. The dark maroon anthers punctuate the color field and add interest.

May 1, 2010 Red Azalea

Azaleas are related to rhododendrons.  The fire-y red color of this azalea makes me think about how rare colors in nature are such an attraction.

Apr 30, 2010 Western Red Cedar

Another Washington native is the Western Red Cedar. Seeing how large and full these become, it seems improbable that they have such tiny cones.

Apr 29, 2010 Coast Rhododendron

The Washington State flower is the Coast Rhododendron, a native of Washington. The pink flutes of the blooms are topped off by red stamens.