Ruth Bancroft Garden, Walnut Creek, CA

If you like plants and gardening, I highly recommend a trip out to the Ruth Bancroft Garden. It is a garden started by a woman, surprise, named Ruth, who is still alive, although now celebrating her 100th birthday. The garden is full of succulents, cacti and drought tolerant trees, plants, and shrubs. Our Mediterranean climate is perfect. I am keen to get out there to do some more images for my Botanica Series.

My good friend Kim Webster is a glass blower who regularly exhibits her glass agaves in the annual sculpture show. I went to photograph her work in the garden.

Kim Webster's Glass

Aloe about to Bloom

Cacti Galore

A lettuce like succulent

A New Discovery, Arlo Ninkkinen

It is always amazing to me how a great, well-known, photographer can be utterly undiscovered by me and then suddenly appear. I am happy to be inspired.

I am struck with the succinct depth of Arlo’s work. He weaves our connectedness with the landscape and calls to that knowing within me. I too, have a fascination with hands in imagery–see my series “Touch” and the body in the landscape–“Hold Me”

Here is a link to his site.

He has a show going on in Boston from Sept 12 to November 15, 2008 at the Robert Klein Gallery. Here is an excerpt from their mailing:

Minkkinen does not merely place his body into the Finnish landscapes, but he becomes one with them. Since he first started photographing, Minkinnen has subjected his nude body to snow, ice, water and dangerous heights. His body is twisted and transformed in unbelievable ways to create a perfect union with the landscape. With photographs that seem to defy the imagination, it is astonishing that he does not use manipulations of any kind. This collection of timeless photographs will leave the viewer amazed at how exceptional the human body can be.

Photos of Chihuly Exhibit, de Young Museum

I went to the Chihuly exhibit yesterday, and loved it. The colors are brilliant, and the exhibit wends in a pleasant way with another surprise around every corner. The sheer volume and variety of the work makes an impression and a good time with the camera (without flash)can be had. I especially liked the room that has a glass ceiling and all the reflections the glass made on the wall.

I am not a glass aficionado, and can’t make any critical, art-world comments other than there isn’t much subtlety in the work. The room with his baskets is cluttered. It reminded me of a windowsill with so much stuff on it you can’t see anything. Here is a review by Ken Baker of the SF Chronicle worth a read. He has quite a scathing review.

I would definitely recommend a visit. The film which runs 90 minutes is excellent too. More info here.

The de Young

Boat Filled with Floats

Float Detail

Boat with Venetian Inspirations

Detail

Chandelier & Shadows

2 Chandeliers

Aquarium Room

Fantastical!

Fiori

The Apple Store, Palo Alto, CA

Relatively old meets new here. I frequent this store in Palo Alto, especially since the new Imacs have come out. I can be found drooling over the 24 inch screen. Please pass me a napkin! I know one day I will switch over. At school we work on Macs, and the integration of the powerful programs is much better than on my PC.