Shadows and Dyeing with Dandelion

OK. Shadows. Thinking about shadows. How shadows create dimension. Form. Meaning. How shadows can’t exist without light–whether it’s the light of the sun or the light of consciousness directed inward–casting light into those interior spaces that can be easily ignored–for a while at least. The shadow side. Rich with the stuff that has to be reckoned with. Acknowledged. Polished. Burnished. Cleaned up/recycled and/or discarded. All of that–but not ignored–at least not w/out paying a price.

The shadow side. Here’s an admission. For a long time I pretended I didn’t have a shadow side. And I smile now with this confession. Then later, I struggled against it–for a LONG time. And now? Let’s just say and it’s much easier to welcome than to resist. And funny how the welcoming diffuses its power.

I’m wondering why I’m even talking about this now. So I may or may not leave the first two paragraphs since I really intended to talk about shadows in terms of–photographing baskowls. Most of my pics have them looking like flat saucers. And although my frustration in the past has centered on getting the color right, there was ALWAYS the other issue of depth. How to show depth. And as I write that word–depth–I’m so drawn back to my first thoughts. How our shadow sides can also be equated with depth. Bowls and souls. And shadows.

Again, I had no intention of going here. So I’m stopping right now. But wondering, do these images help? Do the shadows help give a sense of depth and dimension? And the dinner plate? Does it help?

And some dandelion dyeing going on here. Not a huge fan of yellow–but a fan of color–and always a fan of the alchemy that happens. Expected or not. So, dandelions, red onion skins, peony leaves–old damask soaked in vinegar for a few minutes, wrapped and left overnight.