Webblot
untitled, 2009 Found this fun scanograph in my archives. Reminds me of an inkblot.
Botanical #1
There is something alluring about dead flowers. I have always been reluctant to throw them away. Watching flowers slowly wither and decay reminds me of life, death, and the passing of time. It reminds me of how fragile life is, and of how precious our moments are.
Temple of the Golden Pavilion
Kinkaku-ji "Temple of the Golden Pavilion" is a Zen temple in northern Kyoto whose top two floors are completely covered in gold leaf. The Golden Pavilion is one of the most well known buildings in Japan.
Shirakawa-go Overlook, August 2015
Shirakawa-go, Gifu Prefecture, Japan Shirakawa-go is a beautiful mountain village famous for its traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses. Gassho-zukuri means "constructed like hands in prayer", and refers to the steep thatched roofs that distinguish the architectural style. Interesting Facts: The roofs, made without nails, provided a large attic space used for cultivating silkworms. Some of the farmhouses are over 250 years old. Shirakawa-go and the neighboring area of Gokayama were declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1995. Shirakawa-go was featured in the film The Last Samurai starring Tom Cruise. Shirakawa-go.org | Instagram - Check out their beautiful images of Shirakawa-go.
Making Japanese Washi Paper
Japanese washi paper is well known for it's strength and beauty. While in Japan I had the privilege of doing a mini washi paper workshop in the mountain village of Ainokura. Watching the sheet appear when lifted from the vat was a wonderful and mysterious experience. After lifting the first sheet I added delicate flower shaped decorations to my sheet and then another layer of paper so that the decorations ended up being sandwiched between two thin sheets. The completed sheet was then placed on a hot plate to dry. The whole process took about ten minutes.
