Watching Shadows on the Wall

© 2011 Rebecca Lambing

Finally, after over a week of fighting an awful virus that just didn't want to give up, I've re-entered the world again! As fate would have it, my daughter was sick at the same time so I wasn't needed to drive her to all of her obligations. Everything was put on complete hold for both of us. We even missed the undoubtedly adorable trick-or-treaters on our doorstep at Halloween.

It's difficult for me to stop everything and just take care of myself (don't think I'm alone there!). But sometimes there's really no choice. Lying horizontal for days I thought of all the things I wanted to be doing... all the things I wanted to feel well enough to be doing! Instead I mostly just "watched the shadows on the wall". (Also, the Food Network, which helped us to keep up our appetites. If only we could have eaten some of those America's Top Chef creations - yum!)

The image here is a shadow treat I discovered before my eyes. I love the table itself, but what looks like a contour drawing that the shadow creates is even more striking! It's difficult to tell what is sitting on the table, so I'll have to explain. The solid spot is a carved wooden buddha. It's sitting on a handmade doily that was crocheted around and connecting small plastic rings. Does it look like a vase of whimsically drawn flowers to you? That's what I see. The most interesting part to me is how the table appears upside down and the vase of flowers does not. It's actually that tension that makes this composition work beautifully. If the vase were facing the other direction the whole photograph would look upside down. If the table was switched to be coming from the bottom of the picture it would not look nearly as intriguing.

I guess that's what can keep life interesting. The contrasts. The unexpected. Finding the good in what was otherwise a forgotten day. ;-)

The Beauty in the Everyday

A fun shadow on an all-white support

One of my favorite perks of being an artist is noticing the chance happenings in the world around us and being able to appreciate them. The surprise visual on the left came about when I set a large panel outside on my back deck this week to help the layer of white gesso cure (and to get it out of the way). The shadow of the patio umbrella created a design on the surface that could uniquely inspire a painting of its own. I have other plans for this one, though. Yes... back to work! ;-)