Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Earth Day 2014 - A Few Things Worth Protecting

Fresh Flowers, Rhode Island - 2012
Beekeeping Apprenticeship, City Island, New York - 2012
Little Compton, Rhode Island - 2013
Longwood Gardens, Pennsylvania - 2012
Monterey, California - 2014
Anchovies, Monterey Aquarium - 2014
 Farm Stand Flowers, Rhode Island - 2013
 Seaweed, Rhode Island - 2012
New Jersey, 2010
Virginia Beach, Virginia - 2013
 Little Compton, Rhode Island - 2013
 Lancaster, Pennsylvania - 2012



Saturday, April 4, 2015

Spring Cravings

As the temps have finally started on a steady rise, colorful store windows reflect the mood of most New Yorkers hungry for brighter, longer days. This week, at the beginning of what felt like a global-wide spring break, a welcome day in the mid-sixties allowed us to all finally thaw out. I was out walking amidst the crowds along the route of the big department stores across Midtown. The stores seemed to be rivaling themselves for their own Christmas windows. Now, a floral theme was very dominant, and lifted my mood considerably. Above, the understated elegance of Bergdorf Goodman.
Macy's hosts an annual flower show and this year's theme is a survey of the fine arts. Above, an homage to Pop Art with a double entendre for the season, while the two most dominant figures in Seurat's A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte (1884) make an appearance just outside of the main entrance. The original hangs in the Art Institute of Chicago. Inside, more floral decor on the main floor brings in the work of Michelangelo, Matisse, and Picasso. Below, a rainstorm references Magritte with large floating raindrops and red Gerbera daisies.

Happy Spring!






Sunday, March 15, 2015

In the Bleak Midwinter - A Haiku (Of Sorts)

Is it over yet? I must have cleaned the ice and snow off of my car three (or was it four times) just a little over a week ago! Snow in the city can have disgusting consequences. But here on this little island in the Bronx, I've tried to overlook the salt, dirty slush, and tired faces of grumpy commuters. Despite the feel of this never-ending winter, the scenery throughout has been ever-changing and stunningly beautiful. 
A frozen coating settled on every surface. Ice encapsulated each singular twig on the tree outside my window. Even with the tides, the bay formed a glistening, rippled sheet completely to the other side of the skyline. Some of the old-timers here on the Island exclaimed that this phenomenon hasn't happened for over twenty years. Dusky gray skies with a hint of yellow yielded a heavy, sleepy silence punctuated only by the occasional squawk of water fowl or plane headed to LaGuardia.