Saturday, November 20, 2010

Looking Out, Looking In

I've been riding the buses lately, dashing off to town in inclement weather.  In November in Vancouver, things can be grey and misty and cold and wet.  On my way to Chinatown the other day, I rubbed a clearing in the fogged up bus window to get my bearings.  It was like a glimpse into a steamy, magical world.



I remember we sometimes ate at the HoHo when I was a kid.  I always got a kick out of the name.  The food was good, too.  I liked the sweetly floral aroma of the steaming jasmine tea in small, thick, green china cups.  I inevitably burned the tip of my tongue with my first sip.



My bus rides this past week transported me to places where I could not only gaze out at the passing world but gaze in through windows to worlds of myriad possiblilities. 

Painting by Mark Lang at the Winsor Gallery, Vancouver BC

Peering in through the glass portals of art galleries transports one to almost entirely other worlds that speak of postmodern deconstructivism and the reimagining of times past writ large in future perfect, reflecting the overall feeling of my trip "home." (And if you understand what I just wrote, may I please have a sip of whatever steaming, magical brew you must be imbibing?)

Should you feel inspired to gaze upon other reflected worlds, take a little visit to James' Newton Area Photo blog.  It's a free ride with great scenery.

P.S. As I compose this, there is a windstorm banging things against the house and the threat of snow being bandied about in the cold night air.  Brrrrr!  It's perhaps a good thing that I'm leaving Monday to return to the east coast...

26 comments:

  1. J'aime particulièrement la dernière

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  2. THE FIRST FEW SNOWFLAKES ARE STARTING TO SWIRL TODAY.

    IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO HEAR YOUR ADJUSTMENT UPON YOUR RETURN TO THE PREMODERN, RECONSTRUCTIVIST AREA WHERE TIMES PAST ARE STILL.

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  3. a really lovely sequence of shots - the double images and the blurriness give them such a sense of dreamy wistful nostalgia somehow - love them - as I do the samples of your work on the great - lovely textured images

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  4. Ahem ! If you continue in this vein someone's going start calling the police and reporting a peeping tom, err, a peeping Lynne in the neighborhood. They may not realize, as you stand there gazing in through the window at the lady undressing, that in truth you are thinking lofty thoughts about "postmodern deconstructivism and the reimagining of times past writ large in future perfect"...

    Well, I didn't understand a word of it, so you may not want any of the lowly brew I've been sipping, but if you keep posting pictures as tantalizing as these, then the future will indeed be perfect.

    Love all those little mirrors, and odd how many of them have windows reflected in them... talk about postmodern deconstructivism. Almost cubist in concept, but round, or oval oblongs... ah hell, I'm rambling again, maybe I better go lie down in that bad where the pillow is waiting so invitingly and take a nap...

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  5. Oh, and safe travels to the east...
    :-)

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  6. PS And in one of those tiny fragments of mirrors, I'm sure I can see the Virgin Mary...

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  7. You did rather paint with your camera.

    Chapeau !

    Please have a wonderful Sunday you all.

    daily athens

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  8. Fabien,
    Merci bien. La peinture est bien spécial mais je crois que les réflections ont ajoutées quelquechose de moi au tableau.

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  9. DCW,
    I see the present state of meteorlogical affairs has been WRIT LARGE on both the east and west coasts of this wide country. I am getting my feet wet...and cold and covered with white stuff...out here as we awoke to snow-covered ground this morning: Thus I believe I will manage to not go into too deep a shock upon my return to the eastern shores. No promises, though!

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  10. Catherine,
    Dreamy, misty, layered,slightly mysterious...and bone-chillingly damp! For once, the photos are untampered with (aside from resizing) as the weather and windows did wonderful work of providing special FX.
    Thanks for your kind comments about my art work.

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  11. Robert,
    Camera paintings, yes...a lovely concept. Thank you!

    Sunday will be a bit sad here as it is my last day of this trip "home." So many departures over the years, and yet another to add to the bone pile of farewells.

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  12. BrOwen,
    Nothing but the loftiest of thoughts, the waftiest of dreams, the softiest of wishes, and the foggiest of memories glimpsed brightly through gilded mirrors, echoing visions of Madonnas with naked backs turned as they secretly nibble on the thinnest of crepes, eased down with warm milk fresh from a roadside cow.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQ4jv5mqiHY

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  13. Such wonderful, evocative, fun photos! I feel like I'm on the bus with you!

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  14. I also liked that mirrored photo best, I still sometimes leave home without my camera but it's good to see that you don't!!

    We had a torrential downpour last night but today the sun is all whispery and promisory and the wind has kept itself at a distance...

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  15. Saj,
    A downpour to clear the air and cleanse the spirit. I love how you describe the whispery, promisory sun. I believe it whispers promises of happier times to come for you.

    I'm glad you appreciate my humble photographic exercises. I have been most diligent in carrying my little camera everywhere I went on this trip, but have also taken fewer photos than I might normally do on a visit home. Perhaps because I still haven't processed all those that I took last November, and the following April. There can be too much of a good thing! Though this trip was decidedly too short. "Talk" to you from the other coast soon...leaving tomorrow morning (probably already yesterday where you are!)

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  16. jann,
    I almost missed your comment,the bus was so noisy! I wonder if there are any local buses in Sicily where you live? I loved taking the train when we were in Calabria.

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  17. These pictures are so beautiful! I could tell that you are am artist beacuse it shines through.

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  18. Vancouver looks great through your eyes. Enjoy the snow storm if you get it!

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  19. James,
    Thank you so much for your kind words! I don't pretend to be a photographer so it's lovely to know that my artistic bent comes shining through in my pixels.

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  20. Madame DeFarge,
    Vancouver is a most inspiring place to take pictures, in spite of the grey skies. I guess I'm doing okay with my little point and shoot camera--I'm glad you're enjoying the renderings it's managing to cough up.

    I did get the snow "storm" while I was there but can't say I enjoyed it. Fortunately, the evidence of it didn't last long, but it did make the surrounding mountains look particularly gorgeous.

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  21. Beautiful new look to this blog, Lynne! That first image through the bus's eye reminds me of one of your Italian facade montages, with the blurred pink frame and gilded lanterns...♥

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  22. Margaret,
    Lovely to see you here on the bus! It's been an age. I'm happy that you like my new look.

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  23. I love reflection/through a window glimpses - and these are lovely ones x

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  24. Lulu LaBonne,
    Oh, don't encourage me!(she says as she frantically waves her arms for more applause from the studio audience) as I have plenty more up my sleeve!

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