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Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Twenty Two: Black and white travel photography – making less into more > Art and Nature, Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix, Arizona, 2013
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28-DEC-2013

Art and Nature, Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix, Arizona, 2013

Famed glass sculptor Dale Chihuly created these gracefully sinuous leaves, and displays them adjacent to a stand of saguaro cacti. This example of art imitating nature is but one of the many Chihuly glass works placed on exhibit throughout the vast Botanical Garden. I did not have my regular camera with me that day, so I used my iPhone camera to make this image. I later converted the image to black and white to abstract the scene, making it seem more magical and less real. The light playing on the glass leaves creates a mystical glow, a counterpoint to the shadowy and spiny live saguaros in the background. By contrasting the differing textures and forms, I blend art with nature -- the very purpose of the Chihuly exhibition itself.

Apple iPhone 4S
1/438s f/2.4 at 4.3mm iso50 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
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Phil Douglis25-Nov-2016 19:35
Thanks, Blizzard, for mentioning the composition of this image. The winding glowing stalks of glass echo the vertical rhythms of those living saguaros in the background.
blizzard24-Nov-2016 20:26
impressive camera work excellent composition
Phil Douglis25-Sep-2016 03:07
Thank you, Carol, for commenting for the second time on this conversion of an iPhone 4s image I made three years ago. It is one of my favorite interpretations of a public work of art -- a work of man that interprets a work of nature ( a plant) by transforming another work of nature (sand) into a work of art (glass). I, in turn, use the art of photography to express my own interpretation of this magical, mystical transformation. As you say, it looks to be alive. Both art and nature are expressions of life itself.
Carol E Sandgren13-Sep-2016 18:27
The black and white conversion of the usually quite colorful Chihully works of art make this even more organic in feel. It looks to be alive!
Phil Douglis10-Feb-2015 17:59
Thanks, coaster, Itolksdorf, Stephanie, and PiJoly. The ultimate beauty expressed by this image originates in the vision of Dale Chihuly himself. I simply add my own interpretation of his concept by framing his work in this manner and then by adjusting the exposure values to contrast and compare his art with nature's work.
PiJoly10-Feb-2015 12:14
Superbe! V
Stephanie10-Feb-2015 10:37
I really like how the artist combined his artwork amongst nature! Excellent capture with your iPhone! V
ltolksdorf10-Feb-2015 05:57
Beautiful, v
coaster10-Feb-2015 02:05
Beautiful!
Phil Douglis09-Feb-2015 19:23
Thanks, Vera, Anitta, Carol, and Iris for responding to this image. I should have posted it here back in 2013, but since I made it on an iPhone, I did not even download it to my computer until now. Since I use the iPhone camera very infrequently, I had obviously forgotten it was there until yesterday, when our mutual friend Tim May posted his striking images of an earlier Chihuly exhibit (2008), also at the Phoenix Botanical Garden.http://www.pbase.com/mityam/chihuly ) It is always a worthy lesson for a photographer to express
the intersection of art and nature. I know that I learned a great deal from the Chihuly exhibit, and I tried to put what I learned to work here. I learned from Tim's interpretations as well, and I greatly appreciate how each of you evaluate my own image.
Iris Maybloom (irislm)09-Feb-2015 19:02
I love the sensual fiery curves of Chihuly's art juxtaposed with the rigid posture of the cactus. The black and white conversion creates a dramatic abstract image....and you know how drawn I am to abstractions derived from nature and art.
Carol E Sandgren09-Feb-2015 18:46
It is amazing what glorious shapes we can find in botanics, and also art complimenting and mimicking them! I love the contrast in shapes here between the curves of the glass and the rather straight lines of the cactus. The light at the top of the glass really holds the image together and gives it a punctuation mark, of sorts.
Anitta09-Feb-2015 18:46
Excellent b&w image, great job with the phone, Phil. Love the different textures and light to create this artistic combination of Art and Nature as your title says. Best wishes and a big hug from Finland. - Anitta
veraferia09-Feb-2015 18:44
Inspiring and artistic work!V
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