111716: Change is Coming

Well that’s pretty obvious. Who knows how all this change will play out. In the meantime, though, the idea of change is taking on personal significance. After nearly thirteen years I am preparing to move my studio – giving up this wonderful little cabin in the woods for another forest setting. The foundation was just finished and building will begin on my new studio in the woods across from our home.

It will take months to complete. When done, I’ll have much more space to work in – more than twice what I currently have. Needless to say, the slow migration of supplies and rocks to the new location will upend the current routine and orderliness (?) I currently operate under. So, for the next few months (and hopefully no more), my posts will be a bit more sporadic.

This week’s images are the result of some of the changes.

I’ve always maintained that one needn’t go far to find visually interesting opportunities.

Sometimes a fresh look at out immediate surroundings can open paths to explore.

In this case today I have focused on the excavated site of the new studio with its uncovered rocks and early stage foundation work.

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These last two are from the evening of the full moon. On top – a moody Autumn evening image along the Hudson. And below – the aforementioned full moon rising over the Rip Van Winkle Bridge.

I’l be away next week. So please have a happy and warm Thanksgiving holiday whatever you do.

0305: Ice

Ice, not snow, has been the bane of my existence this Winter. The thick ice that blanketed my driveway at the beginning of the season will finally leave when Spring gets here. So, like most all of my neighbors, the thought of 40 degree weather gives us hope.

It was ironic, then, that another encounter with ice should leave me positively elated. Last weekend, friends of ours (Pat and John), who live right on the Hudson River, invited a small group over to experience the ice on the river and share the strange magic of a walk out onto the Hudson. The day was beautiful. No wind. The sun was bright. And two feet thick ice was the “ground.”

Most of the ice was covered by 4-6 inches of snow. There were areas, though, where the wind cleared off the snow and other areas where irregularities created uneven surfaces that allowed the ice to bubble up, thus providing me with the best surprise of the day.

Looking into these clear spots was like viewing a cats eye marble – fascinating patterns under the surface. Like the old adage about how every cloud has a silver lining, the thick ice of the Hudson held much beauty and surprise as well as some quiet, solemn moments in nature.

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Last week, I chose to explore outtakes from my visit to the Yale Peabody Museum. And I was surprised that so many fine images went unnoticed through the first round of selections. Since the snow has prevented me from producing fresh, new fossil images I decided to look through the library for other museum experiences. I’m happy to have rediscovered the work I did at the Museum of the Earth (the Paleontological Research Institution). So today I have some fresh outtakes from that experience.

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One last note about the Hudson River experience. I was so excited by my discoveries that I went back out there the following day. Gone was the tranquil warmth and quiet solitude – replaced by winds that blew so hard I could barely stand in place. Sometimes all of life is in the timing!

Thanks for the visit.