FLIGHT

These images have been composed for the juried show, FLIGHT, that will be held at the local airport here in Tompkins County. Hopefully I will have a piece or two in the show... It was a great theme for me to work and be inspired with. All of these images will be available in my Etsy store.

Spring Skies

Black days of winter all were through
The blossoms came and they brought you
Clouds left the sky
And I knew the reason why
They made way for you and the blossom.

The seasons cycle turned again
An april shower now and then
Trees came alive
And the bees left their hive
They came out to see you and the blossom.

People were laughing, smiling with the sun
They knew that summer had begun.

The nights grew warm, the days grew long
Spring turned to summer and was gone
It seemed so fine
All the cider and the wine
But I knew you'd go with the blossom.

When spring returns I'll look again
To find another blossom friend
Until I do
Find something new
I'll just think of you and the blossom.

-Lyrics of Nick Drake's song, Blossom Friend

Waking UP

The past week was, by far, the most beautiful week for weather in the past 5 months. It was nothing but sunny skies and gentle breezes. The thermometer even dipped a toe into the realm of "low 60's." Rare for these parts, but deeply appreciated.

The local landscape went from snow covered (some parts above my knee) to that dry-light-ochre-yellow-brown, hinting towards green color. Though it is a barren landscape, it is bursting with promise. Passing though the landscape with a window or two open just a little, you can hear people of all ages playing in their yards. Several homes were undergoing yard work. It is the most exciting time of year for this. It is not like work at all. It is a little visual game, pulling back the fall leaves we missed and stones that the snow plow pushed into the yard. We know we are winning when the ground looks like earth again and the old skeletons of winter are in a wheelbarrow. After so many months of snow and ice we really missed the earth.

Two weekends ago I remembered that I am lucky enough to live so close to a little piece of paradise- Cornell's Botanical Gardens. I checked their website and according to the "Bloom Report" witch hazel was in bloom. I went to fetch my camera, dog, and significant other for the first official nature walk of the season. This weekend I did the same. I could not believe all the things happening in the gardens despite the weather. Just a brief stint of mild weather and this place was lit up with all kinds of life and color. I don't know how our little plant friends can bloom after so many days of grey cold.

These plants passed onto me the feeling of joy coming alive again in a new season. Now I can't remember the last time anything inspired me so much...

Dreaming of Spring

My Valentines

Inspired by Valentine's Day, I created some images especially for the holiday. Heart shaped leaves, roses, peonies, strands of heart... Soft, airy, colorful and sweet. These cards and much more are for sale at my Etsy online store.

My Valentines

Living Light: A Celebration of the Finger Lakes Flora

Above is my photograph, Wake Robin that will be hanging in the juried group exhibition, Living Light: A Celebration of the Finger Lakes Flora. Please read below to learn more about the show.

In the cold, gray months of an upstate winter, it can be heartening to recall nature's more abundant and colorful times of the year. A welcome reminder of this comes in the form of a new art exhibit, Living Light: A Celebration of the Finger Lakes Flora. Hosted at the Tompkins County Public Library from January 18 through March 26 and organized by the Finger Lakes Native Plant Society (FLNPS), this juried art show celebrates the beauty and diversity of our region's wild plants and fungi. Fifty artists from throughout the Finger Lakes and beyond have contributed over 75 works in a wide array of media and styles, ranging from traditional botanical illustration and wildflower photography to more abstract treatments and sculptural forms. The show's opening reception will be held at the Library from 4 to 7pm on Friday, January 22 as part of Ithaca’s Gallery Night, in conjunction with the Light in Winter festival. And for those interested in a more in-depth experience of plants and art, FLNPS has designed a constellation of workshops, walks, and educational displays. The exhibit and associated events are co-sponsored by the Library, with grant support from the Community Arts Partnership and the Brooks Family Foundation. The art show was juried by a panel consisting of several FLNPS members and three prominent local artists: Camille Doucet, watercolorist and botanical illustrator; Eric Serritella, ceramic artist; and David Watkins, photographer. They, along with three professional botanists, had the complex task of screening and evaluating over 300 submissions. Founded in Ithaca in 1997, FLNPS's mission is to teach people about native plants, the importance of conservation, and the threat of invasive species. The group regularly sponsors free lectures, field trips and special events. For more information about the exhibit and its related events, visit www.flnps.org/artshow. To find out about other FLNPS lectures and plant walks, visit www.flnps.org or call 607-257-4853. More information about all events at the Tompkins County Public Library, as well as library hours, can be found at www.tcpl.org or by calling 607-272-4557. Individual artworks in the Living Light graphic (above) are copyrighted by and used courtesy of their respective creators, all artists participating in the Living Lightexhibition. They are, clockwise from top left: Bridget Bossart van Otterloo, Susan Larkin, Margaret Neher, William Bay, David Ruppert, and Donald Specker.