Abandoned Warehouse

From the highway, I’ve admired and desired  ( so I’m a little strange) this abandoned warehouse with the bright red doors for a number of years. Sometimes it’s hard to know why one day you are compelled to act. But, the other day , a good friend and I , circled and drove around until we found our way. Surrounded by trucking companies and a smattering of  traffic, it appeared safe for a daytime exterior shoot. Indoors is another chapter and it’s going to take more guts and a group for me to attempt it. The structure has retained most of its integrity – light fixtures, high ceilings, and its heavy red doors remain nearly whole. As I wandered the property, I could imagine so many uses that it makes me sad to think it stands empty.

Refound Images – View Through the Window

Another refugee from the hard drive crash. This photo was shot through the window of one of the few Victorian houses remaining in Memphis. Slated to be restored, it waits silently for its fate. The photo has undergone a bit of transformation in this newer version. I gave it a more ethereal, softer, and out of time look. I hope this majestic home remains safe.

Running Away Part 2 : Memorial Park Cemetery Crystal Grotto

Many might choose Paris or Istanbul as a runaway destination. Having only a few hours on a Sunday afternoon and an expired passport eliminated those possibilities. Instead, Memorials Park Cemetery was my destination, a road trip of about eight miles.The cemetery is home to the Crystal Grotto and its fantasy shaped structures.I chose my infrared camera because it would accentuate the otherworldly feel . I viewed  the cave and tree as imaginary housing, fit for visiting sprites or hobbits.

The faux bois structures suit the park well and it’s hard to believe they are cement.A folk artist from Mexico, Dionicio Rodriguez created the vision from his imagination. Hired by the cemetery’s founder, Clovis Hinds, Rodriguez earned $75.00 per week over a ten year period during the Depression. His creations are dream – like and religiously significant.

Working in steel and copper to form supports, the structures were formed in cement over wire. Using his hands, twigs and dinner utensils for tools, he simulated wood structures that suggest fairies and woodland creatures.Calling his work, “el trabajo rustic”, Rodriguez built Abraham’s Oak that towers 15 feet tall and 9 feet in diameter.

There is the Cave of Machpelah which is named for a burial cave from the Holy Land. The reflecting pool is the Pool of Hebron, and the Grotto appears as a mountain shaped form which houses the crystal cave. All are entirely hand-built. Walking into the cave you are stunned to find formations of limestone, rock quartz crystal and cement forming backgrounds for murals of scenes of the life of Jesus.

The artwork  and grotto are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Mentally moving into the imaginative structures provided a needed break. I returned home energized  and without expense or jet lag.

The Beauty of Closed Doors

As I wandered through Charleston ,the architecture called loudly in every direction. Doors , windows and structural details all begged to be noticed. There was so much to appreciate that you might be wondering why I chose these photos for my post. Their color and simplicity are part of the reason. While not the most elaborate or unusual, they tell a story. Lately, I’ve been reading about how we have too many choices and that many of us find it difficult to make a decision or to be satisfied with the choices we do make. It’s as if we’re afraid that we will miss out on an  opportunity for something better. Having choice is part of freedom, and while I wouldn’t want to surrender having options, sometimes the choices outnumber our needs. For me, if I’m shopping and I don’t find what I’m looking for, I’ll continue to look if I have a strong idea of what I want. I might not want to settle, but I can make a decision as to whether I should make a choice or wait for the perfect item to materialize. For more important decisions, after researching and soul-searching, you need to turn the handle confidently and take steps forward. It’s hard  for me to imagine  someone feeling like they settled for second best because they think something better is always waiting around the corner.The amount of disappointment and second-guessing that might create is heart-breaking.It seems so much more important to live in the present and not in What If. Having a few closed doors, especially if they wear a pretty shade of blue or enhance our surroundings gives us the opportunity to move on and find the most important pieces for our lives.We need to trust ourselves to listen to that quiet voice inside.

Peeping Tom Part Two

I really couldn’t resist more windows. While psychologists may have creative and involved explanations, mine is simple. I enjoy shooting windows and no one came to harm in the process.