Thought of the week :: Art teaches us not just to look at the world but to take the time to actually see...

And once we start to see our entire perspective changes and our lives fill with wonder.  From the sparrow perched atop a traffic sign on the way to work to the poppies along the roadside.

And with my printed work to help other people to look at something as simple as a flower with awe, to begin to see it, and the world, as I do...

And judging by the amount of work I sold at a festival in its very first year, I think its just beginning...  Now if I can only find a balance between my new job and my art things will be better.  Because the lack of sleep caused by starting the new job the week before my first show can't be maintained.  :-)

visit Samantha Byrnes' online gallery

Morning Glory Bush

Yeah, only one...

I'm always amazed at the plants I find when I'm out and about.  From bi-colored gladiolus at the local Safeway to super exotic plants at the garden store its truly a new experience every day.  Granted the fact that I tend to get a bit crazy at the garden stores probably doesn't help.

The ironic thing is that when I go visit the garden store I'm usually intending to only purchase one thing.  Yeah...  Guess how often that happens....  On the bright side it allows me an ever-interesting and often unusual selection of flowers and leaves to photograph.  It has necessitated the transformation of our spare room into my plant storage area, as certain kitties like "salad".

Full shot of my morning glory bush

My most recent trip yielded, among other unusual plants like some kind of dahlia / black-eyed susan hybrid, a sugar maple, and something called a morning glory bush.  Now this morning glory bush came out of the pond section and is taller than I am.  I picked it because of its prolific crop of pink flowers.  Sadly the flowers didn't survive the trip home in the car with the AC on.  Luckily the plant put out happy new flowers within 24 hours of arriving home and being propped in one of my giant peace lilies in a bag full of water.

I'm sure I looked a bit odd carting my prize up the stairs this morning to the loft for its photographic debut.  It was so top-heavy I had to anchor it into an orchid pot and then prop the pot up using a ikebana kenzan and a Ganesh statue.  Pictures turned out nicely though.

Flowers on a Morning Glory Bush

visit Samantha Byrnes' online gallery

Crickets in the Morning

Up early on a Sunday as my morning to take lots of photos without the pressure of being late for work.  Granted with the current job that's not much of a concern but with my new job it might be.  We shall see.

Anyways, up at 7:30a, sitting out on the back deck waiting for the tea kettle to heat, listening to the little birds and the crickets.  One of the best things about late summer is the crickets in the morning (and at night too but definitely in the morning) and the smell of wet grass and the feel of fall on the cool morning air.  Its funny, but I can always start to feel fall coming in early August.

The light in the mornings changes this time of year.  It becomes more angular, less direct, at least up in the loft where I take pictures in the summer.  And the white lilies and the lisianthus and the dahlias.

Two weeks out from my first big show and I'm starting to feel the pressure.  Positive procrastination can only get one so far, and today's the day to order the prints.  We ended up getting a very nice art canopy from someone no longer in the business for a nice discount, the frames have arrived, and I'm expecting the business cards and matting any day now.  Seems surreal and yet not y'know.

visit Samantha Byrnes' online gallery