The amazing power of nature is nothing that I have ever questioned growing up on the coast and seeing my first drowned body as a youngster. We all knew the power of the ocean and were constantly warned of it, but some were adventurous and took unsafe risks... some were just ignorant. Yesterday's tragedy on MDI kind of brought a sense of guilt to me because of what I saw at Schoodic Point of people being a bit foolhardy and thinking that someone might get hurt. At Grindstone Neck I warned a young couple away from the slippery rocks just before a huge wave came in and dragged a 300 pound rock down across the flat ledges and into the sea. They were immediately impressed by the power of that much water and thankful they were well up on the bank when it struck the shore.
I worked on my truck in Winter Harbor mostly in the morning and then was drawn to the likelihood of some powerful shots of the ocean, so went out to Schoodic to check it out. The traffic was unbelievable as was the surf, with the road to the point being closed about 2 hours before high tide (ocean coming across the road in places at that time) and maybe 1,000 people at that part of the park. I took 80+ shots and some video, but could have used up all my storage easily. I'll post just a couple of the best ones.
I've enjoyed all the creative Children's Museum Auction pieces over the years; the mirrors, the boxes, the benches, but I think my favorite so far (maybe that has changed this year) was the rocking chairs. I thought all those surfaces were really neat to work with toward conception. There are many great pieces that come from this challenge, and I've always considered this sort of "voluntary arts" project similar to pro bono work that doctors and lawyers often do, so it reflects nicely on the arts professionals in our area of the State of Maine.
I saw the apple on the ground up at Vern's and I just had to get a picture (I've gotten a little feedback - mostly "yucky, why take a picture of that?") because it showed so much determination (the apple) to exist and present so much interest and character in the details of its appearance. The background was left after the trimming of surrounding vegetation. Age and aging? Don't get me started, there is so much to be said for things as they are... we can't or shouldn't change the process of getting older. If people want to modify it, that's fine, technology and such allows people to do so with varying success, but to me it's the inside, not the surrounding shell htat's the important thing. So, I guess we just need to respect those that are older for just reaching that point and make sure that we find out about the inside, the part that counts!
Berries have been everywhere this summer! The raspberries are pretty much gone by as most of them have fallen, but the blackberries have just started to ripen. How cool (notice the "cooling" reference used to combat the high heat and humidity we've been suffering the last few days) is it to have berries continually ripening throughout the summer? I really like the blackberries, too! This shot shows the vines pretty full and just starting to ripen. If I were to use these berries and their continually ripening, unfolding appearance as a personal metaphor it would have to be a transition, a change or changing, not of the whole, but of an aspect or part. The plants continue, browning back and then lying dormant during the winter to spring forth and ripen in the summer warmth.
Well, it's really (I don't think anyway) not as hot as hell might be, but I took some liberties with this first shot in shooting right at the sun this morning. The haying season, albeit late because of all the wet weather, still makes these monolithic looking sculptures in the fields. The way they are positioned beside each other I realize is completely random, but they have an infinite relationship to one another as one moves ones point of view. I like this shot for the balance of the objects and for the obvious haze in the immediate background. The telephoto brought the background closer, but it also showed how much moisture was in the air. My studio is stifling hot right now, so I'm preparing to move to the basement to read.
The next shot is a social commentary (subtle?) on the stationary Island Explorers buses. I know the idea is that you can move a lot of people fairly energy efficiently with these buses (noted for their use of natural gas/propane as fuel) but is it the economy that has them all "out of service"? I see these things that make decent pictures but also may have a story within them as well. This shot is a cool (which I really need right now) random repetitive pattern of the bus bodies.
Funny how fate and the miraculous workings of the universe sometimes come around and provide irony in people's lives. My brother built a "punt", which is what I have always called what might be a rowboat to others or maybe those that are "come-from-away"s. He gave it to our family back when we were all living together in the early 80's and we named it the Luna Sea, not looking toward (or being able to see into) the future or how mental illness might effect our family or our lives, and it's always been a watercraft for us.
Yep, the room's a mess, but we don't own it so apparently don't care. I like that Jen is not constantly cleaning everything around the room and it is a good sign that she has had the chance to relax a little bit and think of other things. Everything has gone fine at home (from the daily phone call checkup reports) so that is also a stress reliever.
