Submitted by the artist
Jeff Grandy
Sierra Art Trails 2013 Catalog # 70
I’ve been actively photographing the natural world for well over 30 years. So many of my favorite images over that time involve the subject of water in some form or other: bubbling brooks and wild raging rivers, still ponds or vernal pools, even clouds and ice. All have a universal ability to inspire, relax, awe, and rest the mind and soul.
I grew up next to a small pond in Connecticut that changed through the seasons. In winter it would freeze into the neighborhood skating rink. On the first day the ice was thick enough to support me, and before I even laced up my skates, I’d lay on my belly and stare down into it.
That dim world captivated me and revealed a frozen world of wonders. The tiny bubbles were spread like galaxies in the solid darkness of the ice, and this cold universe of sorts entertained me for many winters. The experience compressed my visual perspective and seemed to expand my curiosity for the small things in the world.
In thinking back on that, it seems a natural progression to produce my ‘Unfiltered’ series. For all of the years stalking the shores of creeks and oceans for visual inspiration, it was the time relaxing along the edge that I’d let my eyes rest on the small surface antics and light play on the water. And, just like with the ice, I found myself looking closer.
For all of this time sitting and staring, I was still surprised by what the moving water revealed when the shutter was pushed. The light bends with the ebb and flow, joining jewel and mineral tones into shining mosaics of color. The results are random and joyous, each image exclusive to the moment. These small scenes, like a restless, shimmering dance, just make me smile and continue to give me photographic inspiration.
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