Noticing - Rachel

Has there ever been a time when something which you had never paid any significant attention to suddenly became relevant? Have you then had the experience of noticing it in abudance thereafter? This sage is my "noticed" object for the year: I first noticed it growing in the planters near my parking lot at work. It was an interesting form, and it really spoke to me. Now, I have been working at my job for 12 years, and for the past 6 of those years I have walked past this plant whenever I have traveled car-office-car at work, but it only peaked my notice in April of this year. Since that time I have purchased a plant and NOW I see them everywhere. Here I've gotten up close and personal with my friend the sage.

As a side note, a VERY dear friend of mine has just moved to Ohio, just outside Cleveland. Had you asked me 5 weeks ago to list everything I knew about Ohio I wouldn't have been able to fill a 3x5 card with facts (hmmm, their baseball team is the Indians, football is the Browns, Cleveland, Toledo, WKRP in Cincinnati - OUT), now that it's relevant Ohio, and more specifically Cleveland, shows up everywhere (tv, bumperstickers, ice cream postings on Facebook). Ohio has been made relevant and now I am noticing.

An interesting aside - at least to me - this is a Cleveland Sage, native to California. See, there they are again.

Garden of Eatin'

I am in awe of my garden! Every day something delights me. On Thursday it was the cucumber blossoms.

So Tired I Can't Even Think Of a Title - Rachel

I've just gotten home from work and am EXHAUSTED, so I'm revisiting my oil and water pictures. I've been looking at this one for a while now, playing with different crops and I notice that it becomes a different image depending on where I draw the lines. Okay, I can not think for a moment longer and my power to use the English language is slipping away, so I'll just allow the image to speak for me.

Circular Thinking - Rachel

I continue to want to play with this technique and had but a couple minutes today. I really SHOULD be preparing a lecture, but I wanted to ensure I didn't miss out on posting today since I'll get home late.

Backyard Bubble - Rachel

I had to crop in pretty severely to get this composed as I wanted and its image quality and clarity suffers from that. I'd like to try this in a different way since I like the idea of the image, but need better resolution. It's tough when you're shooting through a bubble significantly less that 1/4" in size.

Distraction through Abstraction 3 - Rachel

Today is bound to get away from me (it seems that it already has, actually, since the last place I should be is in front of the computer when I need to leave for work) so, in order to prevent another day without a post I'm posting a third oil and water abstract. I really enjoyed playing with those elements and am thinking that I will experiment with it further, soon.

Other Worlds - Rachel

Another one of my experimental photos from yesterday's shoot. I really like this one, but it has to be seen large.

Quicksilver Evening - Rachel

I'm feeling far more human today, so I spent some time experimenting. I'm not sure I've gotten what I wanted, but I've got a start.

Distraction through Abstraction 2 - Rachel

I'm up too late and my head is splitting open from sinus pain and pressure. I had all the best intentions to create something new today (I'm still counting today as Monday since I've yet to go to bed), but since I wasn't physically up to the task I am posting another oil and water abstract that I took last week. And with this I am giving up on work for the night and going to bed in hopes that tomorrow's rains will wash away both the pollens and pressures which plague me today.

The Underwater Garden - Rachel

Another attempt at creating something outside my ordinary. Using much the same technique as for yesterday's post I played with focusing differently and created a alternative feel. I'm reminded of some mystical underwater realm of coral gardens and undulating kelp, with deeper recesses just beyond sight. While I shot the image in the horizontal, it cried for a vertical display which, to me, reinforces the sense of floating and reaching for the surface above.

Distraction through Abstraction - Rachel

I've started to feel a bit like I'm not pushing myself, I'm falling into a comfortable pattern of posts and I'm not looking beyond my own edges and trying something new. Tonight I decided to try something, ANYTHING different and here's the result. I like the colors, the orbs and the feel of this image. I tried a couple of different crops, but was most pleased by the image as a whole. Does it say something? I'm not sure of that, but it was a foray into something new, and I'll experiment again. Tonight I hand held my camera whilst my trusty assistant hand held the container of water and oil... perhaps something more stable next time to permit a more varied exploration of what's possible.

A bit o' camelia - Robin

I like the way this looks like the fold of fabric.

Another Wacky GIANT Poppy - Robin

Lori is right about the poppies we saw at Filoli yesterday. They were gigantic and gorgeous. It's always fun to discover something new that you've never seen before in nature. I wish I had my macro lens and my tripod. I want to go back next week. Anyone want to come with?

Oh my darling, Clematis - Rachel

What a stunning day at Filoli (www.filoli.org for those of our followers who might be unfamiliar)! Anticipate flowers for the next couple days... out of 1186 photos taken, I'm sure I'll have at least one or two to share. Great day for flowers and friends! Thanks!

Profile in Amber - Rachel

Camelia Anthers - Rachel

Getting up close and personal with my camelia's reproductive system.

Ethereal - Rachel

Last year's vibrant pink hydrangea have decayed leaving a delicate, lacy skeleton in their place. They make me think of butterflies; I can just imagine them breaking free of their stems and fluttering into the sky.

Green Fox - Rachel

I love delicate look of a foxtail, their fine "hairs" reaching toward the sky. They're certainly well adapted to life in this world - so efficient at spreading themselves. Of course, the downside is plucking them from socks, or worse yet, dog paws. Many is the trip to the vet my dear dogs took growing up due to a foxtail burrowed deeply in between their toes. For now I'll just enjoy their form until I start cursing them again!

The End - Rachel

Today being the final day of Daily Artwork 2010 I thought this little fellow heading out into the aphid filled sunset was a perfect ending. At the very least he has a perfectly lovely end. I've truly enjoyed this month of exploration and sharing, and would love to continue with this project. It's been such a good experience pushing myself to try and be at least a little creative everyday, and I know how easy it would be to recede into my busy life and let artistic endeavors slip away. I hope not to allow that to happen. Thanks to Amy for organizing and setting up the Daily Artwork project, it's been fun reconnecting this way and I'm always amazed by your talents. Thank you for sharing. Lori and Robin, thanks for joining in so much of what you do inspires me to try new things. Lyn, I'm glad that you joined us. Your paintings are so very stunningly beautiful thank you for sharing your visions. Ladies, I have had so much fun and each and every one of you are a treasure to me.

So like the ladybug flying away home I make my departure. Hugs!

Looking Down - Rachel

Today I went out to hike and find a great landscape to shoot, I wandered, shot some photos and found that I simply wasn't getting what I wanted. I quickly grew dissatisfied; then I happened to look down. All along the path, in the grasses damp with the morning's light rain, were these lovely leaves glittering with crystal drops. I had found my subject. I spent a good hour looking down, photgraphing the grass, the mud, the weeds and the water droplets. In a big picture world it's sometimes good to remember that many of the most beautiful things can be found right beneath your feet.