Brrrr.... it's cold outside! Maybe it's not so bad where you are, but here in NYC it is quite literally freezing.
I thought I'd incorporate that into my choice for this month's photo. As I was trying to make my decision I also noticed an unintended thread connecting the last few months' photos: water.
So this photo is a shot of a little art experiment I made a few years ago. "The Egg" was made of water and cold (and a few blades of grass). Inspired by Andy Goldsworthy, I wanted to create an organic form, using nothing but natural elements from the environment.
It took several hours on a frigid night, and required me to become quite intimate with the cold and the water. For a long time it simply wasn't working; I wasn't able to make the elements do what I wanted them to do.
That was the problem. I realized that the elements will do what they will naturally, and I couldn't control or force it. It forced me to slow down in a way similar to those little water molecules as they settled themselves into a new state of being.
Once I did this - the 'artist' got out of the way of the art - it all started to gel. I slowed my pace to that of water freezing and was able to get acquainted with this amazing process of nature. At that point, I understood how I could play with the elements.
Just before sunrise it was ready. If you like, you can watch it emerge or see more photos of it.
Enjoy!
Randy |