Blue Expanse

Visiting Africa was an expansive experience. All the stereotypes that I had from childhood and adulthood were shattered as I saw the natural beauty, met the soft-spoken warm people, and absorbed a cultuire very different from mine.

Our last stop on our African adventure through Namibia, Botswana and Zambia was Victoria Falls. I am glad we saved it for last since it is so extraordinary that it is in a class by itself. We also stayed at the best hotel I have ever been in The Livingstone Hotel on the shore of the Zambezi River very close to the Falls.

This monotype Blue Expanse expresses the tumultuous falling water, the vastness of the Falls and the uncontainability of the scene- it is over the top. So too, this image cannot be contained within the regular confines of the picture plane.

Majestic Water

The magic of place is not only the natural wonder of the amount of water rushing from the calm Zambezi River as it plummets so far down the fall; it is also the rainbows. Beautiful rainbows or double rainbows are visible from every angle. What a treat!!

Majestic Water, a monotype shown on top, shows rainbow colors peeking in and out of the picture plane.

Echoing Blue

The non-verbal process of transforming what I see in travel to what I create in my art is not really describable in words. I absorbed the emotion and sensations of this dynamic place, the mystery of all the surroundings- the rainbows, falling water, rain forest and, keeping them in my mind’s eye, created energetic fields of blue, with glints of colors, trying to capture the essence my experience. I want to share my passion and joie de vivre with those seeing my work, triggering a memory or experience for the viewer.

In Echoing Blue, a monotype, I focus on the thundering water as it splashes down from the rim. Can you feel the spray?

Smoke that Thunders

David Livingstone was the first white man to see and name Victoria Falls, named for Queen Victoria. When he first saw this mile-long curtain of water, he said, "Scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels." The indigenous people called it the Mosai-oa-Tunya, "Smoke that Thunders." There is always mist from the falling water.

You can watch them face-to-face and experience the spray, noise and rainbows. Both mixed media images Thundering Water (bottom) and Thundering Mist (top) express the power and beauty of the Falls.

Majestic Water- Victoria Falls

Seeing one of the seven wonders of the world was an incredible thrill. Victoria Falls in Zambia is an amazing site. The water is majestic- powerful, relentless, overwhelming. The rainbows depend on the weather. Once day when we visited we saw double rainbows; the next day only a single rainbow. But we did see the entire bow at some times which was fabulous.

Majestic Water 2 (to) and Majestic Water 3 (bottom) try to capture the power and beauty of the falls.

Points of Light

When we visited the Savuti Channel in Botswana, it was filled with water. The rains had filled the area for the first time in 20 years. The vistas were lush and green. The Channel is in the Okavango Delta in northern Botswana which is the largest inland delta in the world. The bush is filled with flora and fauna, magical and mysterious.

Points of Light is my interpretation and remembrance of the amazing light and greenery of the northern Botswanan landscape. My emotional and visual memory of place remembers the sunlight coming through the bush.

Light Relumed

My solo show Light Relumed at the Cosmopolitan Club in Philadelphia contains 23 original mixed media and monotype prints that I have done based on my current travel. Many of them have been discussed in previous blog postings.

The exhibit is on the second floor in the dining room. I love color and it is obvious when you walk in the room how my art brightens the space and lights up the atmosphere. The show will be up until June 25, 2009 and I invite you to see it.