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The First Rule of Art

I wrote recently about a novel that I read this past week that I enjoyed immensely (Still Life by Sarah Winman). Near the end of the book there was a scene that resonated deeply with me. In it, an artist speaks about The First Rule of Art and though I like to think that the great thing about art is that there are no rules, I loved the rule revealed in the following conversation from the novel.. Miss Skinner? said Miss Everly. Do me the honor of telling me what you saw when you looked out your window for the Read more…

By Marilyn, ago

Elderberry Reveries and Duck Tales

I first noticed an elderberry bush growing beside the pond two years ago. It is amazing to me how quickly it has grown. Now that it is larger I notice it more. And this year for the first time, the birds have not eaten all the berries as soon as they show a bit of purple color. So lately I’ve been enjoying Elderberry Reveries and Duck Tales as I photograph the bush and its ripening fruit from different vantage points in different kinds of light. (More on the duck tales below.) Yesterday I went out in the backyard and got Read more…

By Marilyn, ago

Magic Light

As a photographer I pay attention to the changing light. It can change in a matter of moments. And I find that it is often the light that makes a photograph something special. Early this morning I noticed a shaft of light that lit up a patch of dried grasses at the edge of the pond and also extended in a bright angled line across the pond. I’ve never seen a shaft of light like this on the pond before. The dried grass almost looked as if it was a flame rising out of the water. And it felt a Read more…

By Marilyn, ago

Summer Days

  This has been one of the nicest summers in memory. And I am treasuring these Summer Days despite the fact that they are flying by so fast. I almost never feel like winter flies by quickly here in Minnesota. Though last winter was one of the nicest winters I remember from my almost 40 years of living here. Nevertheless I’m not a fan of Minnesota winters. I truly wish that I could welcome fall days and the coming winter with as much enthusiasm as I welcome the arrival of spring. Despite the fact that I much prefer the warm Read more…

By Marilyn, ago

Impressions and Expression

This morning as I was looking out at the pond behind our house I saw the most beautiful abstract reflections in the pond. The light was just right for making photographs of the pond playing with Impressions and Expression of all the beauty I saw. Movement, softness, blur, and color moving and mixing before my eyes. Sometimes the surface of the pond looked like a Monet painting in the soft morning light. It was another reminder that I can find beauty here, at home, as well as out in the woods. (Though I know that we are so lucky to Read more…

By Marilyn, ago