Her Shoes in the Alley
Posted on March 13, 2023
A white sandal with bright shiny sequins was laying on its side in a secluded spot in a downtown alley. It was worn and smudged with dirt around the sole. I wondered if it had just been thrown away and if so, where was it’s match? Or was there another very different story?
That’s how it is with so many things we see. There are questions and mysteries and alternative meanings. And stories we can tell. Here are a few examples.
St. Petersburg’s Museum of the American Arts & Crafts Movement
Posted on December 15, 2022
Late 19th and early 20th century “anxieties about the quality of life in the industrial era and the rise of mass-produced goods” motivated Arts and Crafts designers to create objects that were both beautiful and functional. The new building designed to display their work is a modern reminder that beauty and design need not be sacrificed for usefulness. These images are my impressions of a few features that caught my eye.
Coming Apart
Posted on October 26, 2022
Coming Apart
It feels like many of the things
we depend on, believe in, or take for granted
are coming apart. And a few are crumbling.
These images are reminders that
disorder or even disaster may be lurking
amid the beauty one can still find.
Attack of the Blue Feather
Posted on July 11, 2022
A feather was lying along the path through the woods. It was large and beautiful, and had belonged to one of the birds that lived there in the trees.
When I brought it to the City I quickly learned it did not belong here.
You can see what happened and the message it left.
Inspiration in the Alley
Posted on August 23, 2022
Behind the shining facade luring you in
there is always a back door,
sometimes hidden away in a quiet alley.
These unglamorous places near the heart of town
can offer surprises and food for the imagination,
often telling a different story about where you are.
Naturally Abstract
Posted on June 13, 2022
The veins in the leaves and the thicket of plants at the water’s edge.
The moss swaying in the wind, the curve of the roots and the space beneath them.
Even the lowly weed that like a tree camouflages the urban infrastructure.
These natural abstractions help me connect to the natural world in ways I might otherwise miss.
Savannah Georgia Ship Channel
Posted on January 23, 2022
Downtown Savannah cuddles up to the south shore of the Savannah River and is just downstream from a major container port. Ships are sometimes routed close to the shore, close enough that you can feel the thrum of the engine in your chest as the ship passes by.
It is sobering to know this huge ship piled high with truck-sized containers represents only a tiny fraction of what we consume each day, one small link in the supply chain.
Gulf Beach Dreams
Posted on September 7, 2021
Hazy dreams of a day at the beach. Blue skies, family and friends, wrapped in the warm Gulf air and waters.
But then comes the runoff after the rain, the oil, the dead fish and other Red Tide detritus, reminders of what else that warm water holds.
Mumbai
Posted on May 25, 2019
The morning air thick with the smoke of open fires, vehicle exhaust, and the smell of dense humanity.
Chaos in the streets, the poverty, a flash of wealth, millions of lives swirling around in plain sight.
Cars, trucks, phones, plastic, and more plastic, yet somehow a feeling that it has been this way for ages.
Mumbai.
The Sultanate of Oman
Posted on March 22, 2019
The Sultanate of Oman is on the southeast tip of the Arabian Peninsula, bordering the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and the war-torn Yemen. Despite Oman’s proximity to that war, there was very little evidence of the humanitarian catastrophe so nearby.
Oman’s oil wealth and use of imported labor is evident. Nevertheless, Oman does not exhibit the overwhelming urbanization and development of either Dubai or Abu Dhabi. Old Muscat, in particular was human-scaled with plenty of friendly pedestrian activity.
Oman’s coastline in the Muscat area is rugged and mountainous. The ocean-side outcroppings were ideal locations for the 16th century Portuguese forts, like the Al Jalali Fort that is the backdrop for the Palace. The mountains and stones they provide for construction gave Muscat some of it’s ambient color.
The images below are all from Muscat, the sprawling capital city. Click on one of the links above to see more work.
St. Croix — Hotel Caravelle Artwork
Mocko Jumbies
Donald Diddams 