A Walk in the Park

Photography is something of a passion of mine. When going on rambling walks through fields, cities, or parks, I typically have a camera handy so that I can snap photographs of whatever catches my fancy. I am fascinated by the tiny details. In a sense, I am allowing people to see things through my eyes, or lens, as it were. When I look at flowers, I see design elements. I see beauty. By capturing these images, I am taking time to notice the simple pleasures in life. These flowers will fade, but the photographs will last. I encourage people to realize the beauty in the ordinary.

Georgia O'keeffe was of the same mindset. An American artist renowned for her large-scale paintings of flowers, rocks, landscapes, and other natural elements, she blended concrete reality with abstraction and representation. Her watercolor paintings of poppies, morning glories, lilies, and hosts of other flowers now hang in prestigious Museums, on display for everyone to see.

Nobody sees a flower, really, it is so small. We haven't time - and to see takes time like to have a friend takes time. If I could paint the flower exactly as I see it no one would see what I see because I would paint it small like the flower is small. So I said to myself - I'll paint what I see - what the flower is to me but I'll paint it big and they will be surprised into taking time to look at it - I will make even busy New Yorkers take time to see what I see of flowers. ...Well, I made you take time to look at what I saw and when you took time to really notice my flower you hung all your own associations with flowers on my flower and you write about my flower as if I think and see what you think and see of the flower - and I don't.

- Georgia O'Keeffe

So take the time to observe the tiny details in life. Be inspired.