Exhilarated Beauty

“When I work, and in my art, I hold hands with God” – Robert Mapplethorpe

Exhilarated Beauty

“Exhilarated beauty” is the image I chose today because I have just come off of an exhilarating experience with my first solo exhibit.  There is actually one day left, the gallery is open from 10 to 6 tomorrow, but the artist reception was Friday and I volunteered at the gallery several hours over the weekend.  I am excited to be able to report that I have sold several pieces and have met some incredible people, talented artists, and received wonderful compliments and words of encouragement.  It has been a great pleasure to share my gift with others!  I chose the quote in continuance of the calla lily/Robert Mapplethorpe series and because I truly believe my photography is a gift from God…his miraculous works are all around us and he is using my camera, lenses, and me to capture them and share them with the world in a unique way.

I must add that this series, as with almost all of my floral images, has been done using only natural light and my camera settings, with the only edits being black and white conversion.

Magnificence of Beauty

 “I played around with the flowers and the lighting, so that was a good way to educate myself.” – Robert Mapplethorpe

Magnificence of Beauty

The quote above could have come directly from me…I have learned so much about light and the art of photography through my work with flowers.  Two passions colliding to create art and beauty.

Modesty Forfeited

“I am obsessed with beauty. I want everything to be perfect, and of course it isn’t. And that’s a tough place to be because you’re never satisfied.” – Robert Mapplethorpe

 

Modesty Forfeited

I recently posted two blogs which included images of Calla Lilies. The blogs can be found here (Her Majesty) and here (Intertwined).  After I shot the images of the Calla Lilies and began the editing process, Robert Mapplethorpe and his views on life and photography came to mind.  I did not do a proper Calla Lily series, but will be posting several more images from the shoot , all of which,  give mind to Mapplethorpe and his gifts to the art of photography. To learn more about Mapplethorpe, visit The Robert Mapplethrope Foundation website.

I think I mentioned in one of my previous posts that in the Language of Flowers Calla Lilies represent either modesty, or magnificent beauty, a reference to the title of this image.