Light and Shadow

As I walked through the forest the other day I was delighted at the sight of a large colourful fungus. Unfortunately I did not have my camera with me, so I went back later and took a few pictures. As the summer slowly wanes I have been aware of the change in the light. So as I walked in the forest I recorded the patterns of light and shadow that I saw around me and was reminded of the proverb "Every light has its shadow".

 

I know it is difficult to get an idea of the size of this fungus from this picture but you will have to take my word for it being about a foot and a half across (45 cm) and more than a foot deep and high (30 cm); a very impressive specimen so I hope you will forgive the number of pictures I have included.

 

 

 

I decided to see what others had to say about light and shadow and found some interesting quotes:

"Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more; it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." William Shakespeare

 

"I don't need a friend who changes when I change and who nods when I nod; my shadow does that much better."
Plutarch

 

"False friends are like our shadow, keeping close to us while we walk in the sunshine, but leaving us the instant we cross into the shade."
Christian Nestell Bovee

 

 

 

"The present is the ever moving shadow that divides yesterday from tomorrow. In that lies hope."
Frank Lloyd Wright

"Friendship is the shadow of the evening, which increases with the setting sun of life."
Jean de La Fontaine

 

 

"Who never doubted, never half believed. Where doubt is, there truth is - it is her shadow. "
Ambrose Bierce

 

"Shadow is a colour as light is, but less brilliant; light and shadow are only the relation of two tones."
Paul Cezanne

 

"Without black, no color has any depth. But if you mix black with everything, suddenly there's shadow - no, not just shadow, but fullness. You've got to be willing to mix black into your palette if you want to create something that's real."
Amy Grant 
 

Shadow in art or painting is what gives shape and substance to a work, without shadow there is no depth. In fact, I might ask, what came first the light or the shadow, because surely there is not one without the other.

I am still very busy painting and framing for my art show, only another couple of weeks of this furious activity, then I hope to get back to a more normal routine.

Here is a watercolour that I have finished recently called "Light and Shadow". It is inspired by a fountain that I saw and photographed while in Europe.

Thank you for your visit, I really appreciate your interest in my little corner of the world.

Happy Whimsy Wednesday, until next time ...........

 

Glorious Gardens 1

While we were in the UK we interspersed tours and museum visits with walks and visits to gardens. Today my post highlights two public gardens (one in Glasgow and one in London) next week my garden series will continue with two private gardens.

First there is the Glasgow Botanic Garden. Most of the flowers below were inside large glass conservatories to maintain ideal warmth and humidity: orchids, cacti and tropical plants. The day we visited the temperatures soared to the high 80's F (outside) so the temperature inside as I was photographing was quite a bit hotter than that; had I been a tropical plant I would have been quite happy but as a human photographer I was a bit warmer than I like to be.

You will notice that most of the visitors are outside on the lawns enjoying the good weather.

There was a beautiful collection of orchids

I think these are pitcher plants:

The last greenhouse I visited had a pond of koi and large statues:

Nubian Slave

Cain

King Robert of Sicily

And now on to London, where we visited Regent Park; OK not quite a garden but we saw beautiful plants and birds. Another beautiful hot day, so we walked around the lake, which was home to a variety of birds.

Heron

Greylag Goose, I think, but I also found this identified as a Pink Footed Goose

Mute Swan

Red Crested Pochard

Egyptian Goose

I know this is the second one but I loved the little pool of water on this one's back.

Baby coot (this one was on the far side of the lake, sorry not a great picture).

Coot

I thought these pigeons looked comical.

White Faced Whistling Duck

Heron

Pair of swans



Wood Pigeon

...and a litle bit of statuary to round this one out

More pictures than words today but I think I'll allow them to speak for themselves this week.

Last Saturday was the Brock House Fair, we had beautiful weather and had an excellent turnout; for volunteers such as myself though the preparation consumed a lot of my free time so I have had no time for art. I promise to get back at the "drawing board" this week.

Thank you for dropping by, Happy Whimsy Wednesday, until week .......