THE DETAILS OF LIFE

Hattiesburg, Mississippi  

Look with Fresh Eyes, Look for the gifts hidden in looking closely

Hattiesburg, Mississippi

For only then do you truly start to see.  Look beyond what your brain tells you, do not name what you see...only look for its beauty in line, color, shape and pattern.  There is so much to discover when you let yourself learn to really look and to really see.

Hattiesburg,  Mississippi   Old Car   photo by Elizabeth Gordon

Detail of a fanned Palmetto Leaf

Detail of old dinner awning

Palmetto detail 

Detail of parking money slot metal

Business name detail on outside of building, Wren's Nest     New Orleans

New Orleans post, photo by elizabeth gordon

Detail of New Orleans drain spout on building

photo's by elizabeth gordon

Wires left hanging after Katrina looking very Darth Vadar
New Orleans

Electric wires against a sunset sky,  New Orleans
photo's by elizabeth gordon

Tools and hooks on the side of an 18 wheeler truck
photo by elizabeth gordon

It is the function of art to renew our perception. What we are familiar with we cease to see. The writer shakes up the familiar scene, and, as if by magic, we see a new meaning in it. 

Anais Nin

When I read this quote about art and writing I thought about how often as a teacher I tried to get my young students to look at something differently so they could see in a different way-in the way an artist might see.  To look not at the object and what their brain might tell them it is, but to look at the shape, the colors, and the lines.  I love rust and old metal objects, worn wood that paint has chipped away on or a siding from a barn that is weathered and bleached from the sun.  I love things that have been used, loved, touched by human hand or nature.  The colors can be more beautiful in a rusted piece of metal than one can ever imagine...it can be so rich and so varied.  The only thing that can make that happen is nature itself..years, rain, sun they become a chemistry lab that creates a unique piece of art from the gods themselves.  But one must look, truly look and ignore what our brains tell us it is. 

A Study of Shadows

I think sometimes if you can forget what the name of what you are looking at is, you can learn to see things anew.  Our minds are conditioned from when we are young to identify a concept with an image, a sound and written text, but if we can just let go of that for a while and see differently then the world takes on a new view.  Artists are trained to see shapes, line, texture, volume, and color.  When I am working on a particular art piece and I step out in the world...that is all I see everywhere.  When I was teaching small children about art elements we would often start with shapes.  We would look around the room and identify all the shapes things were made of, from the tables to the ceiling tiles.  It was amazing to see their eyes light up and see the world as if for the first time.  I taught them to draw that way as well...if you can see the shape you can draw it.

Door with mirrored Image  by  elizabeth gordon

When I go out in a city my eye is caught by interesting details.  I love the contrast of shadows and light on a fall day.   In Asheville there are many old buildings that dot the downtown.  When these shadows caught my eye, I saw them only as art elements of line and shape and texture with contrast.  I did not think door or sign.  Try going out one day in your neighborhood or city and just think about simple shapes, texture, and line...try not to think what the name is of the item that catches gets your attention.  I think you too will be amazed at how you can learn to see your world a bit differently!   

Square on Brick      by             elizabeth gordon