How do you choose?

My favourite thing to bring home from a vacation is a piece of art; a print or photo or a piece of pottery or glass... (And yes... a handful of rocks). I will still likely do that but now that I have my own collection of photos ~ I can display my own art. So how do you choose from such a large selection?

I think it might not always be the best technical photograph or the most awe inspiring but the ones that bring forth a memory of a place or person that I want to see every day.

When sweetie and I went to Hawaii in 2008 (I can't believe it was that long ago) I took over 1300 pictures. Some were very obviously not contenders for display, but many captured  some wonderful memories. This one in particular takes me back to the day we spent trekking through the most amazing botanical garden.  I managed to fill both of my 4GB camera cards that day.  It was sweltering hot, but once we reached the base of the garden, I realized we were deep in the midst of a real rainforest.  It was the most humid place I have ever been.  The sweat just dripped off us. It was also one of the most beautiful sites I have ever seen. The flowers were literally dripping from the trees and for a West Coast gardener, it was Eden.   If you are ever on the Big Island of Hawaii, you really must make time to see it.

Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden

Without fail every morning of our Hawaiian vacation we would grab a coffee at the Starbucks in King's Shops at Waikoloa then head out for our day of exploration. In front of the Starbucks was this gorgeous koi pond.  I took many pictures of the koi and this picture just takes me right back there. I can smell the kona coffee now.

Kings Shops at Waikoloa

This picture was also taken at the botanical garden.  I love the perspective and the pop art rendering of it.  The original photo is okay too!

This is one of my favorite photos of the entire 1300 or so from that trip.    I had put the camera down on the glass table top on our lanai and pushed the button.  This is what was captured.  I love it. 

And the view .... there I am again... drinking a glass of wine... watching the sun set in Hawaii.

Friends and Art through the years

This past weekend I attended my high school reunion. I don't want to say how many years it has been ~ only that I can't quite believe it. I keep wondering if I am ever really going to feel my age.

What a wonderful group of people I was fortunate to go to school with (yes, we knew we were special, even then ). I've often heard it said "I keep in touch with the people that I want to see". Now I really don't think that is the case. There were many people I was thrilled to see ~ it saddened me that we had missed so much of each others lives. We start families, we move or for any number of good reasons we lose touch with people that we genuinely want to share time with. Reunions are a chance to reconnect and hopefully forge new relationships. I will do a better job of keeping in touch with these special people.

In the course of the weekend someone asked me if I was still pursuing Art. Without really thinking I said no, not right now. Because I'm not enrolled in any art classes, and I haven't touched a sketch book or paints for months my brain just automatically denied the process. I will have to let her know that yes, I am involved in Art.   Presently my new camera is teaching me to look differently at everything and I am having a great time playing with my digital pictures.  Here is a picture I took in Hawaii last November that I played with some!