I’m writing with this smashing pink peony on the screen. I love the colors and drama of water droplets in the sun. Naturally beautiful, no editing required. Many years ago my mother used to talk about how she understood the process of painting a picture. She described the importance of an artist creating a path for a viewer to follow into the composition. Leading that person into another “world” using the tools of color, light, line and shapes. Much later when a painting wasn’t coming together for me, I could appreciate that sentiment, some part or parts were stuck or lacking in the ability to travel beyond themselves.
When I was in labor with my daughter-it was difficult and quite long. 
She was born in September and I remember that the gladiolas were in bloom. I was concentrating very hard on the delivery and I clearly remember that the mental picture I was working from was of an actual journey into the throat of a gladiola flower. Clearly, I was hyper focused on managing the pain!
Creating art is not so physically difficult but it does take tremendous concentration and the result isn’t always what you want. One thing I love about photography is that when using a macro lens, you can get in very close to the subject, like inside that flower.
Shooting in natural light can be quite dramatic, especially in a dense garden late afternoon, when sunlight on plants and flowers creates variable depths that change quickly. I use my favorite Nikon lens, the Micro Nikkor 105mm f/1:2.8G IF-ED exclusively. It reminds me of painting with acrylics where you can lay down numerous layers of varying density and suddenly achieve surprising depth that sunlight can paint in an instant, quite effortlessly.
Van Morrison just put out a new album, Roll with the Punches. It’s amazing how long he’s been around. He has new songs on the album and also this old favorite. Bring it on Home to Me.
An article in Rolling Stone about the new work.
You can bring Paola Pillows home anytime. Autumn is here and winter on its way. The Almanac is proclaiming a heavy winter in the northeast. Why not enjoy your garden inside?
Raspberry Hosta
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