National Anti-Vivisection Society

"Advancing Science Without Harming Animals"

We have a responsibility, I think, to do no harm.

There is an organization called the National Anti-Vivisection Society (NAVS) which helps in this effort. What I like about NAVS is, not only their action on behalf of animals, but the promotion of science without harming animals in the process. It's a win/win proposition.

You can read more about NAVS and their mission here:

http://www.navs.org/home

I was so proud to receive news, yesterday, that one of my photos won Honorable Mention in NAVS' Art for Animals 2014 competition. Here's a rough shot of my photo with the certificate.

To have such recognition from a group like NAVS is pretty amazing. I wanted to share the good news with you and also turn your attention to such a wonderful group.

MINTED!

Vote for my photo design on the Minted page. By the way, if you haven't discovered Minted, check them out. Fabulous.

Vote for my design on minted.™ see more from Jennifer Sturch vote for me! Check out my competition in Christmas cards and Save the Date cards at Minted.

I'm Baaaaaack!!!

It's been a long time since I've posted anything. Sorry for the hiatus. But I'm back to blogging, so, here we go.

First thing to mention is my new portfolio site. It's very simple, just some photos and my contact info:
www.spfineart.foliohd.com

Now for the thought for the day with photos.

Try to see something new in things you see every day. Try to pick yourself up out of complacency about your surroundings. Venture into new knowledge. Consider this:

Sometimes the prickly "mean "thing

is sustenance to another (look closely).

And sometimes these "prickly mean things" have an innate beauty all their own. Just because they hurt to touch doesn't mean they're "bad". It just means they have their own destiny. Let them be. And enjoy from afar.

 And notice how the prickly surface can bloom into a plush, soft pom-pom. Some creatures take paths different from the "norm" to reach the same conclusion.

 

Sunflowers, Fibonacci and the Zen of Patterns

Patterns calm my mind. Nature, despite its messiness, is abundantly organized. I think that’s why I take so many close-up shots of nature. When you really look at it, you see all the orderly components which make up the seeming randomness.

Listen, the next time, to a bird. You’ll find there’s a rhythm to the rant. You can almost set a metronome to it. To me, that’s pattern. Pattern, rhythm, organization… creates a whole.

In this series of sunflower photographs, you can easily see the patterns of the seeds. If you’re interested in math and patterns, this is a great place to see it in nature.

Aside from the mathematical resonance in nature, there is also art in it. I hope you enjoy my take on it.

And if you’re interested in further explanation of the mathematical genius of nature, I have two phrases for you: Fibonacci Sequence and The Golden Mean. Here are a couple of sites that do a great job of explaning:

http://momath.org/home/fibonacci-numbers-of-sunflower-seed-spirals/

http://www.popmath.org.uk/rpamaths/rpampages/sunflower.html

Just a quick "Hello!"

Hi everyone.

I hope you are well; that the sun, moon and stars are aligning just the way you need them to. They always do, I guess. It's just that we need not fight it.

Sorry I haven't posted any photographs lately. I've got some that I am working on that I hope to post in the next couple of days. But sometimes other things in life take a front seat, and the last couple of weeks have been about our dog, Bella.

She got a pacemaker!

As you can imagine, this has taken up most of my free time. But things are going extremely well with her, so now, worrying aside and shifting into our "new normal", I can get back to the art at hand.

I have a new piece for sale. I had one of my prints developed on metal (aluminum) and it is for sale on this blog (please see "Prints for Sale" tab). I am extremely pleased with the result of the piece.

And let me know if there is something special that you would like to buy. Email me at:
sturchphotography@gmail.com
You may commission my time and talents, and I can produce a work especially for you.

Now, just to give you a glimpse of this little dog who has so captured her Mama's hearts that we just had to get a battery for hers. Here is Bella:

Now. Ain't she sweet?!

Horses and Ponies

If you were to have asked me, when I was a little girl, what my favorite animal was, my response would have been the horse. Never mind that I was rarely around horses or that I had ridden maybe once. But I loved them. What is that about?

As for the character of the horse, their combination of strength and beauty is appealing. Their loyalty to people and sense of work ethic is amazing. The air of majesty that they carry with them is humbling.

And as for the lines, the graceful curves of the back and the legs and the carefree flow of the tail and mane are in juxtaposition to the bold outlines of the musculature. It’s a dichotomy found in much of nature, but one in the horse that strikes me in particular.

What of these ponies, these Shetlands? They are boisterous, playful, and pretty sassy! They have the same gorgeous lines, just smaller. But their character, as with most smaller creatures, seems to scream, “I am bigger than life! See?!” And they promptly try to eat your camera bag. At least, that was my experience.

Here are some Texas beauties I’ve found along the way. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

Crepe Myrtle, Crape Myrtle, Crapemyrtle

Spell it how you like! To the chagrin of many an editor, I’m sure, there is no hard and fast rule about how to spell the name of this most unusual and prolific tree of the South. I am going to choose the “crepe” option myself, because its colorful blossoms resemble that of “crepe” paper.

Originally from China and other Asian countries, the crepe myrtle thrives in the heat. It was brought to South Carolina by Andre Michaux, French/royal botanist to King Louis the XVI. (And if you’re interested in the topic, look up Andre Michaux’s biography; he led quite an interesting life at an interesting time in American history.)

For me, coming to Texas from the canopy of New England trees was shocking because there are no trees to speak of here, at least not in the part of Texas I live. But this particular breed has struck a note with me and I can’t tear my eyes away from them. Though the vibrant colors of the blossoms are wonderful, the parts of this tree which engage me are the trunk and limbs.

There is something very human about the body of this tree. It is muscled and smooth like flesh. It dimples and wrinkles and folds. It has elbows and joints, sinews and varied tones. Some trees appear as though they are sculpted in clay. Others, at the base, look like melted candle wax.

And then, like snakes, they shed their skin. And they drop their colors on the ground, making us to walk through leftover party favors.