Old Dog, Young Woman

Bloodshot eyes, red gums and worn teeth did nothing to stop this old dog from enjoying life. Adorned with a carnation necklace and leaning against his owner’s knee, he was happily watching the antics of the St. Patrick’s Day parade crowd, ready to give any passerby a gentle lick and a wag. In contrast, the young woman seated alone at Pleasant’s bar seemed isolated…

Messages from the Dark Side

I didn’t intend to produce such dark images. They just seemed to happen. The first came from a picture of some sponges along the beach, and the second is the old “Steeple Building” in the Christiansted historic district. Yes, centuries before its most recent reincarnation as a National Park Service asset, the Steeple Building was a Lutheran church. These may reflect my growing sadness…

Tethered

To be tethered is to be restrained, tied down, prevented from moving about freely. And that can feel uncomfortable to those of us whose moving about is usually unrestricted. However, some actions, when totally unrestrained or untethered, can trample the rights of others. So being tethered can also refer to being grounded, in touch with reality, one’s actions balanced by consideration for others and…

Primarily Yellow

They are painting Fort Christiansvaern. No, not red; that was me that did that. But yellow, that wonderful golden yellow that one sees on so many of the historic buildings in old Christiansted. The paint and repairs are important to protect the structure, and historical correctness is being observed. Still, the crumbling walls and peeling paint give the fort some of its character. The…

Of Pigs and Goats

This pig has achieved local fame as one of St. Croix’s beer-drinking pigs, a rain-forest “attraction” for tourists. He is eagerly awaiting his next beer while the remains of the last froth down his chin. As long as he keeps drinking, he has nothing to fear from the barbeque pit. In contrast, most goats do have something to fear. Stew goat, curry goat and…

Experiments in brilliance

I noticed that some of my prints had an overall darkness to them — in part because I was using relatively small areas of light and saturated colors within a darker background to bring shape and dimension and drama to them. Working on-screen with the light radiating from within delayed recognition of what was becoming a habit. The epiphany came when I saw some…

By the Sea

Much of St. Croix is fringed by an offshore reef. On windy days or when there is a swell running large waves will crash on the reef. While the inshore waters remain relatively calm, the usual dark line at the horizon becomes snowy-white. On this afternoon some low clouds were drifting nearby, echoing the colors of the shallower water near shore. Illusions can creep…

Faces

These two images are from a street festival. The man was a dancer and performer. He stood out with his serious clear-eyed gaze and spear held so close. The woman was a spectator… of sorts. She was so excited and having a good time just dancing on her own up and down the street! And best of all, her curved pink sunglasses almost perfectly…

Ways

Stairways, doorways. Ways in and out. Their graphic qulaities attract my eye, and the ambiguity of where they lead teases my mind. These were both in one of the many interior courtyards in old Christiansted. The courtyard has a few small offices along the back wall and a suite of offices in one of the buildings above. The center, open to the sky, had…

Open shutters, locked gates

Many of the old buildings here in the tropics have wooden shutters over their windows, but no glass or screens. When the shutters are opened to let in the light, there is also an open exchange of air, insects, and more. What is inside can go out and what is outside can come in. How different is the message from the old gate with…