I’ve been thinking about water, and about incorporating more water images into a new body of work.

Over the holidays, I took a photo-shooting walk in a beautiful preserve near my home to capture images. My goal was a group of shots for transfer to fabric.

I was amazed, first, at the richness of imagery available in just the smallest bodies of water. Almost puddles, small ditches beside the walking path held wonderful surprises – colors, reflections, a sense of depth.

In one spot, the water had a current. What a difference! I am still amazed when I look at these pictures. They look like molten glass, or like I have applied some PhotoShop effect to the image. This is just the delightful, amazing look of water in motion.

And I was surprised by the number of pictures I shot that will not work for my intended purpose at all. When I stood directly over the water, looking straight through it to grasses and leaves at the bottom of the ditch, the water was so clear that in the photo it became invisible. These are interesting natural textures, but they do not look like water.

(It seems to me the lesson here is about more than just photography. About the process of looking through. Seeing beyond. Allowing a barrier to disappear as we see what is behind it.)

When images of water are captured with some motion and bit of angle, they are – to me – just magical. They make me want to stop, to see in, to wonder about what is going on below the surface. Water in movement is a wonderful thought-provoking addition to works where I want to urge the viewer to look more deeply.

(Here are some detail shots of works I have created previously that incorporate water images.)

“Once She Could” art quilt. Water detail. The whole quilt can be seen on my web site HERE

“And All that’s Gone Before” art quilt.. Water detail. The whole quilt can be seen on my web site HERE

“Sometimes You Can’t See In” art quilt. Water detail. The whole quilt can be seen on my web site HERE.

“Where it is Strangely Like Home” art quilt. Water detail. The whole quilt can be seen HERE

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